


Souls Build Homes in Bodies

by softperfuma



Series: The Aureoles [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Angst, Blood and Injury, Childhood Trauma, Cussing, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Healing, Kidnapping, M/M, Nonbinary Character, Post-Canon, Spirit World (Avatar), Spiritbending & Spiritbenders (Avatar), Spiritual, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:41:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 24,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28422597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softperfuma/pseuds/softperfuma
Summary: Years before Korra first arrived to Republic City, a respected anthropologist was shunned from the academic community after proposing the existence of a fifth element. Years later, Korra and her friends discover the truth.She was right.
Relationships: Bolin/Opal (Avatar), Jinora/Kai (Avatar), Korra/Asami Sato, Lin Beifong/Kya II, Mako/Prince Wu (Avatar), Senna/Tonraq (Avatar)
Series: The Aureoles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2159811
Comments: 49
Kudos: 31





	1. Going Home

**161 AG. Winter.**

“Is that her?”

Aqil could feel the stares settling on her back, burning holes far faster than she could ever produce from her fingertips. She gripped the small hand in her own a little tighter.

“I think so. How sad; such a sharp mind gone to waste.”

She couldn’t yield, couldn’t snap back as she normally would, no matter how much she wanted to. She had embarrassed her child more than enough. Even though she knew herself to be true, even though she knew all her research was right, she didn’t want to make a spectacle of the both of them. So she started walking, ready to rid them of the towering walls of the library.

“Mommy?”

She swallowed hard, looking down at the voice that called for her. She was met with big brown eyes and feet daring to keep pace with her long strides, her own feet eager to leave the building.

“Yes, Tasnim?”

“Where are we going?”

Tasnim had just turned eight, and with it, Aqil noted, came so much curiosity, she was sure many children the world over had gone completely without, for her own little Tasnim had taken it all without hope to ever return it. Aqil smiled at her little angel, slowing down to give a bit of break to Tasnim’s legs.

“We’re going to the bakery, okay? And then we’ll go home.”

She was met with a gap toothed grin and little hops as they finally crossed the threshold of the front door, making their way into the street and throngs of people ebbing up and down the cobblestone like a calm wave. 

“And we don’t have to come back, right? Cause they’re mean and stupid. So I think we should just go home and not come back.”

Aqil breathed deep, pulling Tasnim close as they weaved through the crowd. As much as she wanted the approval, the funding, the support, she knew better. So she told her baby the truth. 

“No Tasnim. We won’t come back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~_Song of the Chapter: I Started a Joke (feat. Becky Hanson) by ConfidentialMX_ ~~
> 
> This body of work is about to be a huge undertaking (I've loosely plotted 10+ chapters already). I won't be updating for the next month or so as I rewatch episodes, (finally) read the comics, and take notes as I go. (I just got overexcited so I'm posting the first chapter now.) I want this to be post-canon and I want it to be done as well as I can manage, because both the show and my own ideas matter a lot to me.
> 
> I have a Tumblr blog under the same username so if you want updates or want to ask me questions, feel free to head there.


	2. False Courage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _~~Song of the Chapter: Dictator by REI AMI~~ _

**174 AG. Autumn.**

Responsibility.

That word had been swimming around Kuvira’s mind for days. Especially now, her wrists shackled together as she stood before a row of faces doing a piss poor job of hiding the contempt they held for her. And though she vaguely understood them, she couldn’t bring herself to agree.

She had done too much for the Earth Kingdom, sacrificed too much for the betterment of her people. What the court thought didn’t matter much to her; had they been in her position, they either would’ve done the same, or crumbled beneath the pressure. She just had the misfortune of rising to the occasion.

“Not guilty.”

The sounds of protest popped the silence like a bubble and rose tall behind her, threatening to push her over with the mere feeling of disgust. The next few minutes were a blur, as she was dragged away by White Lotus guards and was subjected to a short but grueling lecture from Suyin on responsibility. 

Responsibility. Again, that word.

She and her friends in blue found their way into the hall once again, the pale walls seeming to stretch on forever. As the bevy of voices faded and the echoes of their footsteps grew, Kuvira couldn’t help but wonder what was in store for her once she reached the prison. _If_ she reached the prison, considering how the people around her felt about her. 

They turned a corner to see a figure lingering by a window, their back facing Kuvira and her slew of guards as they continued to make their way towards the convoy outside. But once they drew closer, the person turned to face them, immediately demanding hesitation from the guards.

“Good afternoon gentlemen. May I have a moment with the prisoner?”

Kuvira could feel the guard on her left tense, and for a moment she considered shouldering him hard and running. Until she remembered that she had nowhere to run.

“I don’t know about that, um- Who are you exactly?” 

The guard flanking her right shot his colleague a sharp look while Kuvira scanned the face of the stranger. There was some familiarity, but with all that had transpired in the past few months, she was failing to connect the dots.

“You don’t know who that is?” the other guard hissed. “That’s-”

“Aqil.” The stranger cut off loudly. “Aqil was my mother.”

Kuvira’s eyes widened for just a moment, as she realized who stood before her. Tasnim, only child of Aqil, one of the most prolific anthropologists in the Earth Kingdom, and possibly the whole world. Kuvira never truly met the woman, only read a few passages of her work and saw her in passing during one of her visits to Zaofu. After that, the scholar quickly fell from grace, all but disappearing into the fabric of time. But as she dug through her memories for the woman’s appearance, she couldn’t deny the striking resemblance to the short stranger before her.

They had the same face and skin, tanned and tawny on an ovalesque frame, with wide, warm eyes to match. But where Aqil had the burning ember of a firebender, Tasnim had a deep brown. It seemed to inspect, to look as if they were picking someone apart like a common experiment. 

Just like Kuvira was being looked at now.

“My apologies, but I can’t-”

“I can walk and talk if you’d like, but I don’t have much to say. And if this one wants to run, I’m more than capable of breaking both her legs.”

The guard that had spoken gulped hard, and Kuvira would’ve been impressed if the vitriol weren’t directed at her.

One of the guards behind Kuvira stepped in, trying his best to quell the rising tension. “I can give you five minutes, Tasnim. Please, make it quick.”

Tasnim smiled, turning to Kuvira to inspect once more. “Feel any remorse, baby fascist?”

Kuvira could feel her nostrils flare as she tamped down her anger. She didn’t owe this stranger anything. Not the truth, not lies, not vulnerability. 

Not even a proper reply.

Tasnim smiled a bit bigger in response to the silence, as if Kuvira was giving them exactly what they wanted. “Nothing to say? Oh, that’s even better.”

As much as Kuvira wanted to let the vagrant stand in silence for several minutes, she hated the idea of giving them what they wanted. So she didn’t.

“Why should I talk to you? Isn’t prison punishment enough?”

Tasnim laughed, the sound swirling in Kuvira’s ears as she tried to think up another witty response. She failed.

“Oh, that’s too funny!” Tasnim laughed again, until it stopped abruptly, sliding off their face as if it had never been there in the first place. Their eyes bored into Kuvira’s as they continued on. “I would hope you’d feel a little more grateful, considering what could’ve happened to you.”

“And what could have possibly happened to me? It’s not like any of them would suggest execution.” Kuvira’s words slipped through clenched teeth as her nails dug into her palms. She couldn’t let them get the best of her. She wouldn’t.

“Of course they wouldn’t! That’s far too harsh! But I met with some of the council members a while ago and,” Tasnim paused, looking Kuvira up and down as if waiting for the perfect moment to drop the bomb.

“Well, I advised them to take your bending away.”

Kuvira felt as if someone had pulled her into ice cold water, only to leave her shivering out in an endless night. Her bending. Her training. Part of who she was. It was all hanging in the balance, and she didn’t even know it. Had absolutely no idea how close she was to losing it all. And if Tasnim got their way, it’d already be gone.

“Oh don’t worry, I only proposed it be taken for the duration of your sentence! Nothing major,” Tasnim said with a wave of their hand, as if the topic of conversation was something as trivial as the weather. The guard on Kuvira’s right shifted uncomfortably, taking a quick glance at his watch before opening his mouth to speak. “Tasnim-”

“Oh, one last thing and I’m done,” Tasnim slipped on a sickeningly sweet smile as they looked at the guard in question, though it quickly fell again as they locked eyes with Kuvira. “One last thing, since I’m sure everyone has been too angry or too afraid to tell you,” they closed the distance between themself and Kuvira, clicking their heels together as they stood right in front of her, their eyes level with Kuvira’s lips. She could feel her heart clench as Tasnim stared her down; though their face was mostly devoid of emotion, the rage that seemed to spill from their eyes was unmistakable.

“You are an utter disappointment to the Earth Kingdom, and no matter how many times you lie to others, lie to _yourself_ , you hid your greed for power and control behind poorly executed advancement and philanthropy, and hoped to all spirits no one would notice. Now, I’m all for reformation, and I’ll be the first to say these prisons are barbaric, but you? I truly hope you _rot_.” At last word, they smiled again, stepping away and thanking the guards before making their way down the hall.

“Have fun, Kuvira! Hope you find some compassion in there!”

The words sunk into Kuvira’s skin like a brand, leaving only her name hanging in the air. Tasnim only used it once in parting, but that made it all the more powerful. 

Before Kuvira knew it, she was being pushed along and into the convoy, the words still spinning in her mind. No matter how much she denied it, tried to push the thoughts away, they would always come back with a vengeance. So she tried not to think about it. About how a stranger peeled her apart, leaving her feeling barren, exposed. About how the words managed to make their way past the walls she had built up for years. About how good her name sounded on a stranger’s tongue. She tried her best, but failed. 

She always did.

_ _ _

Tasnim nearly collapsed once they finally turned the corner, seeking purchase on the wall and taking deep gulps of air.

Weeks. They knew about the trial for weeks. Rehearsed what they wanted to say to Kuvira dozens upon dozens of times. It took all the courage and confidence they had to face her, squaring their shoulders and releasing all the anger they had spun and held for the woman since she began her soulless tirade. And despite feeling far too heavy and a bit too mean, they were satisfied. Just barely. 

They just wished their body was satisfied too.

“Tasnim? Is that you?”

Tasnim raised their eyes,their body sharply following. “Mrs. Beifong! Hello!”

The woman stepped forward, taking Tasnim’s hands in her own. “Oh, please dear. I’ve known you far too long for that. Call me Suyin.”

“Hello, Suyin,” they breathed, eyes drifting down to where their hands were joined. Suyin rubbed her thumbs over the back of Tasnim’s hands as she spoke, her voice just as calm as they remembered. It was hard to hear. Hard because it reminded them of their mother.

“Where did the time go… you got so big.” Tasnim gave a short smile in response, glancing up before realizing those piercing green eyes were too strong to keep up with. “Definitely. Hit a growth spurt and everything.” Suyin laughed at that, taking a step closer to get a better look at them.

“Mind if I give you a hug?” she said, pulling Tasnim into her arms when they nodded.

“It’s been a hard day for everyone, but I want you to know that I’m really proud of you. Your mother would’ve been proud of you too.” Tasnim tightened their grip on Suyin, holding back the tears that were threatening to fall. “Thank you, Suyin.”

After a beat, Suyin released Tasnim, finally looking them in the eyes. “Would you like to come say hello to everyone? I know you’ve seen my husband already, but you’ve never met any of my children.”

Untangling themselves from Suyin’s arms, Tasnim gave the woman a solemn smile. “I’d love to, but I’m not feeling too great...I-”

“I completely understand. Just know that you’re always welcome in Zaofu. Whenever you’re ready.” Tasnim thanked her again before Suyin said her goodbyes, making her way down the hall before slipping back into the courtroom.

Tasnim began to make their way out of the building, the sound of their echoing footsteps sounding far more lonely than they did hours before. Suyin said to come to Zaofu when they were ready.

But Tasnim wasn’t sure they ever would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Song of the Chapter' explanation -> (I like to listen to music while I write, but the changing of songs is distracting. So I pick one song that I feel embodies the mood of the chapter well, then put it on repeat for the few hours it takes me to write the entirety of the chapter. Thought I should explain 'song of the chapter' so everyone could understand, and possibly find some new song favorites.)
> 
> I originally said that I wouldn't update for a month or so but that was before I became hyperfixated on this story and it invaded my every waking thought. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
> 
> (It was also really funny writing this chapter because I want everyone to like Tasnim but I realized their re-introduction is so, so contradictory to that goal. But please like them they're nice I promise.)
> 
> The next chapter will be posted by January 10th, 10PM EST. I would love to hear everyone's thoughts, comments, song recommendations, anything! Hope everyone enjoys the new year!


	3. Lost in the Snow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _~~Song of the Chapter: Sunlight by Hozier~~ _

**174 AG. Winter.**

He had been sitting up in bed for a few minutes, just watching her as she reached the ends of her sleep. Then, with a rustle of blankets and a lengthy stretch, she finally awoke.

“Oh, spirits, it’s cold.”

A laugh rumbled deep in his chest, his arms reaching out to pull her close. “Yes darling, that’s what happens when you live in the South Pole during the winter. Better get used to it.” He could feel her smile against his chest, her hand running up his stomach to rest beneath her face.

“I don’t need to get used to it. Not when I have my own personal heater right here.”

Tonraq felt his face spread fast into a smile as she spoke, playing with the stray hairs of hers that fell across his hand. “Well I’m so honored to serve the great Senna, coldest waterbender the Tribes have ever seen.” She chuckled at his quip as she finally sat up, getting her first look at him since she woke, dim lamplight casting shadows across his face. Senna reached out for it, settling her hand against his jaw, the heat from his skin warming her fingers.

“Good morning,” she breathed. He moved his head down to kiss her palm, nestling his face into her hand as he looked up at her through thick eyelashes.

“Good morning.”

The silence floated throughout the room, Tonraq looking into the eyes of the woman he loved and wondering how many triumphs he must’ve had in a past life to have been so blessed in this one. Senna rubbed at his jaw, a soft smile forming as her fingers were met with resistance, the stubble forming on Tonraq’s face coarse and dark. He sighed softly as her fingers wandered into his hairline, her smile growing at the look of pure contentment on her lover’s face. 

The faraway sound of a kettle snapping shut brought the moment to a close.

“Sounds like Korra’s up.” Senna laughed, making her way to the edge of the bed. Her feet almost touched the floor before she was pulled back beneath the covers, the smell of bearskin and heady cologne filling her nose once again.

“Five more minutes,” Tonraq mumbled into the back of her neck, his breath tickling her skin. Senna grinned, playfully trying to escape with no success, Tonraq pulling her tighter against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat through her back, his fingers interlacing with hers as he took a deep, long breath, wanting nothing more than to fill his lungs with the scent of her.

“Tonraq, we need to get up. We have a daughter, remember? We should go greet her.”

Tonraq shook his no into the back of her head, lips grazing her neck as he finally answered. “A few more minutes and we could give her a sibling. How’s that for a greeting?”

Senna let out a soft gasp, which tumbled into a laugh as she reached up to give Tonraq a sharp slap on his arm. “Get up and put some clothes on, you little tundra hamster.”

Tonraq chuckled, leaning on his back once Senna successfully untangled herself from his arms. “What? You think Korra’s too old to be an older sister?” Senna shook her head, slipping her pants on where she stood by the wardrobe. She picked up her nightgown from it’s temporary place on the floor, folding it under her left arm as her parka occupied the other. “You’re an absolute goofball,” she smiled, making her way back to the bed.

Tonraq folded his arms behind his head, looking at his wife as she tucked her nightgown beneath her pillow. While she was still bent over her side of the bed, he reached out to her, tracing the line of her bare sternum with one finger. “That’s alright,” he started, noticing her blush as she reached for her undershirt, “as long as I’m yours.”

\- - - - -

Korra snapped her fingers and was met with a small spark, using the flame from her hands to light the fireplace. She’d spent the last few weeks spending time with her parents, and while they were nothing short of hospitable, she wanted to return the favor by making them food. Properly this time, and nothing like the kale cookies that she accidentally baked with salt instead of sugar.

The kettle began to whistle as she stirred bits of chicken into the pot, and as she whisked the matcha and poured it into three mugs, her parents came into the kitchen.

“Korra, what’s all this?” her mother said in awe, stepping close to peek over her shoulder.

“I wanted to make you guys breakfast,” she replied smoothly, “and also kind of make up for those kale cookies.”

Senna’s hand flew to her lips, a laugh leaking from behind her fingers. “Oh, honey, they weren’t that bad.”

Tonraq was suddenly at Korra’s side, kissing the top of her head before taking a big whiff of the concoction simmering in the pot. “It kind of was that bad,” a soft slap for Senna sent him standing up straight, “but it’s alright! Not everyone can cook as well as your mother.” Senna rolled her eyes, reaching out for the mug Korra had handed her. Korra mirrored her action, taking a sip from her own mug as she handed the last one to her father.

“I know, I know. But I should at least learn the basics. Can’t exactly save the world if I can’t even feed myself.” Tonraq threw his head back in a laugh, the sound echoing through the kitchen as Senna and Korra’s laughter followed. He then made his rounds through the room, opening drawers and cabinets to get enough utensils for his family. Senna watched him silently, until Korra shooed her mother into the dining room, jokingly complaining about their lovebird antics.

“Let the old folks be in love!,” Tonraq boomed, following his wife into the dining room. “And you’re one to talk; I’ve seen you write letters to Asami.”

Korra shook her head as she stirred some more, a little embarrassed her affections weren’t as discreet as she had originally thought. As much as she loved Asami and was confident in showing it, being so publicized made her want for privacy at times. Want for Asami, just Asami, all to herself.

When the food was done she turned off the gas, letting the stove cool as she carried the pot and her mug to the dining room. Tonraq clapped his hands together loudly, rubbing them as Korra finally approached the table. Senna pulled out a setting pad, her daughter thanking her as she placed the pot onto the thick cork.

“So what’s for breakfast?” Tonraq asked, leaning forward to smell the food again. “It smells really good.”

“It’s called juk.” Korra replied tentatively. “It’s Earth Kingdom grub, kind of a rice porridge. But I also added some seaweed and arctic hen. Thought it could use some Water Tribe flair.” Senna spooned the porridge into bowls as Korra spoke, leaving Tonraq to take the first bite. His eyes widened, immediately looking up at his daughter. “Korra!” 

She froze at his outburst, the hands she used to talk with spread and hanging before her face. “...Yes?”

Her father’s mouth spread into a grin, Senna laughing at the sight of a piece of seaweed stuck on his teeth. “Korra, this tastes amazing!”

Korra released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, leaning forward to rest her head on her hand. “Dad, don’t scare me like that. I almost thought I added sugar this time.”

Senna looked at Korra with a smile, reaching out for her hand as she set down her spoon, bare from her first bite. “You did a good job, honey.” Korra returned the gesture, squeezing her mom’s hand before releasing it and taking a bite of her own. They were right. It was pretty good.

The breakfast discussion mostly consisted of plans for the day; it was Korra’s last full day in the south, with her boat set to leave the next morning. Talks of sledding and snowball fights and winning said snowball fights because, in Tonraq’s words, “Your mom didn’t play fair last time.”

Korra sipped on what was left of her drink, watching her parents bicker over games in the snow. For a moment, it brought her back in time. To a time and place where she had nothing like this, no mug full of matcha or botched kale cookies. To a time where she had absolutely nothing, not even her own name. And as much as other people would hate to forget their name, birthday, or hometown, Korra was certain that if she lost her memory again, she’d be fine with losing all of those things. So long as she got to keep moments like this. 

Senna stuck her tongue out at Tonraq, challenging his last remark. Korra chuckled under her breath as she began to stack her plates, clearing the table for her parents. Tonraq thanked her, only to screw his features to make an odd face at his wife. 

If Korra was far younger, she would’ve complained and groaned about how gross her parents were. But now she saw it for what it was: admiration, encouragement. Love. Senna beamed, a far cry and change to how she was a few months ago. As much as her mother tried to hide it, Korra noticed how dejected she used to sound over the phone.

“It must be the connection,” she’d say. “Sometimes the lines down here aren’t the most reliable. But I’m fine, I promise.”

But Korra knew better. And she wanted to know more, but Senna kept her at arm’s length, cheering her on from afar and housing her own troubles deep in her mind. It wasn’t until she first arrived back home that she began to put the pieces together.

“Your mother decided to enroll in the herbalism program at Panuk Academy,” her father said proudly. “Her first term starts in a few months, after the beginning of the new year.” Senna milled about the kitchen as he spoke. She finally busied herself with the dishes, hand drying them as she put them away.

“It’s not that big a deal,” she said softly, scrubbing a plate a bit too hard. Tonraq turned on his heels at her comment. Before Senna could protest, he walked clean across the kitchen, hoisting her up in the air and perching her on his shoulder. “It _IS_ a big deal! My wife is gonna be a top notch herbalist!” 

Korra howled at the spectacle, gripping her sides from laughing too hard. Senna pulled the cup and towel close to her chest; if she weren’t careful, they’d fall from her hands as Tonraq bounced her up and down on his shoulder. “Honey, put me down!”

“Not until you say it’s a big deal!” he boomed, beginning to turn circles around the room.

“Yeah, Mom,” Korra wheezed between laughs, “It’s a big deal!”

Senna, finally falling in with all the laughter filling the room, began to laugh at the sight of the two of them. Growing dizzy from the turning, she tapped Tonraq’s head with the cup in her hand. “Fine, fine!” Tonraq stopped at his wife’s words, looking up to see her glowing face, grinning as tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.

“It _is_ a big deal, isn’t it?”

He slowly set her to the ground, kissing her softly on the lips before giving her another peck on her forehead. “It really is, Senna.... You can do whatever you put your mind to. And I’m so happy for you.” She leaned over to place the cup and towel on the counter before meeting him in a hug.

“Don’t forget about me,” Korra said as she bounded over, quickly nestling into the space her parents made for her. She felt her mother’s lips on her forehead.

“Thank you, the both of you. I love you both so much.”

From that point on, Korra could see her mother grow warmer and brighter by the day. Make no mistake, Senna was always a person that could bring light into any situation, but it was a light born from her compassion, not confidence. And as exuberant as she was in the comfort of her own home, her assuredness and conviction didn’t last long past the front door, withering with each step further into the never-ending snow. 

But as these past few days have proven, her mother was growing increasingly comfortable venturing out into the cold, holding that conviction in her arms for everyone to see. And Tonraq would applaud her for every step, looking on in awe as if she had climbed to the sky and hung the moon herself.

Korra quickly scrubbed the dishes and left them out to dry. She walked back to the dining room, ready to start her day, when she caught the tail end of a conversation she was certain wasn’t meant for her. 

“-just worried. Their baby, only child. That feeling of helplessness… it’s awful.”

“I know, Senna.”

Korra entered the room slowly, wary of the hushed voices. “What’s going on?” Senna looked up at the sound of her voice. She hesitated, the solemn look on her face still lingering. Tonraq answered in her stead, still holding his wife’s hand. “Nothing, Korra. Just some northern gossip.”

Korra pressed on, slinking into her seat. Her body felt heavier than it did before. “It didn’t sound like nothing… someone’s kid?”

Tonraq gave Senna a pointed look and she gave a slight nod in response. Korra began to bounce her leg, wishing she could decipher the wordless movements. Finally, Senna looked back at her, holding her husband’s hand a little tighter.

“Do you remember Akna and Tulimaq? From the Northern Council?”

Korra certainly did. A couple from the northern tribe, elected onto the council after Eska and Desna became chiefs. Interesting, eccentric, and no stranger to beauty, but Korra couldn’t fathom how they worked. On the surface, their personalities were polar opposites, and yet they fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. But they didn’t need to make sense, and neither did their young son, Keo. She nodded at her mother, leaning her forearms on the table.

“Their son Keo is missing.”

“What?”

“There aren’t any leads,” her father continued, “and no one saw him leave the house. His tracks head north, but then they just stop. It’s like he just disappeared into thin air.”

Korra pressed her hands into the wood, signs of disbelief etched into her face. “Do they think he was kidnapped? When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“We didn’t want to worry you,” Senna sighed, reaching out for Korra’s hand. She took it, gripping it tightly as her mother explained. “I was up late last night on the phone with Akna, right after it happened. She’s having a really tough time. And as easy as it would be to call it a kidnapping, well-”

Senna didn’t need to finish the sentence for Korra to know how it ended. The chances of it being a kidnapping were unlikely, almost zero. After Unalaq’s demise, Eska and Desna had limited travel to the north, only allowing exports and citizens from the southern tribe to pass the ocean borders. And even though the limitations lifted as the years passed, the crime rate was too low for the suggestion to hold much weight.

The truth was vague and miserable: two parents, sitting in their home while the winter raged on outside, their only child having disappeared into the snow. Parent or not, it sounded like an absolute nightmare.

“Maybe-maybe I could help.”

“Korra-”

“No, mom, listen!” Korra began, her mind swimming with thoughts of a little boy lost in the cold. “I’m already heading north anyway-”

“To Republic City.” her father finished, brow raised.

“I could always make a quick detour,” Korra shrugged, looking to her mom for backup. “Just a quick stop in the north, then double back to the city. I could spend some time with Eska and Desna too!”

Her mother looked back incredulously, before sharing eyes with Tonraq. “I don’t suppose we can stop her, can we?”

Tonraq shook his head with a soft laugh before the both of them turned back to Korra. Senna, still holding her daughter’s hand, squeezed it tight before speaking again. “Whatever you decide to do honey, just promise you’ll be careful.”

“And don’t do anything rash,” Tonraq added knowingly, “be sure to think things through before you commit.”

“Of course, of course,” Korra nodded quickly, though from the looks on her parents faces she wasn’t as convincing as she would’ve liked. “Look before I leap, got it.”

They wrapped up their morning inside after that, pulling on their parkas and grabbing their sleds to head out into the snow. But as Korra’s sled followed the hills in the icy tundra, she couldn’t help but think how the ceaseless snow was no place for a lonely child. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Juk (죽), while being a dish mentioned in the show (think exile era Iroh and Zuko), it's a real dish and it's very good. There are several different kinds but my favorite is 호박죽, which is made with pumpkin or squash.
> 
> And as always, I'd love to hear any thoughts, comments, or even theories on future chapters! Comments really mean a lot to me and I really appreciate it when people leave them. Thank you so much and see you next week!


	4. Give 'em Hell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _~~Song: Truckin' by Swing Republic~~ _

**174 AG. Autumn.**

“Suyin said you were smart, but I gotta admit it kid, turning down police protection doesn’t seem like the smart thing to do.”

Tasnim rolled their eyes, sinking deeper in the chair facing Lin’s desk. It was a cool Saturday morning, and if it were up to Tasnim, they’d be lounging in bed, letting the early rays of sun creep in while they wrote on any scrap of paper they could find. Instead, they were sitting in Lin Beifong’s office at the police precinct, rubbing sleep from their eyes as the chief droned on about- well, whatever she was droning on about. Tasnim wasn’t exactly listening.

“Are you even listening to me, kid?! This is serious!”

Tasnim looked back towards Lin, their previous cloud gazing now abandoned. “I’m sorry, Lin. I’m listening. But I’m not sure it’s as serious as you think.”

Lin looked around the room in disbelief before pressing her hands flat on her desk, leaning forward to get a better look at them. Tasnim held their tongue at the sight, knowing Lin would never be in the mood to be compared to a winged lemur, no matter how much she looked like one at present moment.

“Not as serious as I- Tasnim, these are threats! Clear as day! How can you not find that serious?!” Lin raised a worn piece of paper in her hand, the typeface printed neatly on the page, clearly visible from where Tasnim sat. 

The letters had started coming a few weeks before, seemingly innocent at first. Simple, anonymous requests of Aqil’s work. Tasnim thought nothing of it, and with no name or organization in sight, they promptly disregarded it. Then the letters came more frequently. They became longer in length. Eventually, the anonymous writers demanded that the unpublished documents be left in sketchy places across the city, in order to be retrieved by ‘the appropriate colleagues.’ And when Tasnim ignored those as well, they delivered an ultimatum.

“We will have no choice but to seize the property ourselves, with or without your approval,” Lin read off the most recent letter before tossing it back on her desk. “I’m sure it seems innocent at first glance, but you need to read between the lines, kid,” she sighed, crossing her arms in front of her as she inspected Tasnim’s face. “They’re saying they’ll take the research. Which means they’re also saying they’re willing to break into your house to get it. And if they’ll to do that, who knows what other lengths they’re willing to go to just to get what they want.”

Tasnim folded their leg into the chair, digging their heel into the cushion as they pinched the bridge of their nose. It was too early. Too early for all this.  
“Lin, I understand you’re worried. But it’s not that bad, I promise. This isn’t even the first time I’ve been threatened over my mom’s work, so I’m kind of used to it by now.”

Lin frowned, shoulders sagging as Tasnim explained themself. “That’s not something anyone should get used to.”

Tasnim scuffed the ground with their free leg, not knowing how to respond. Lin was right, she really was. But being right didn’t stop the threats, or take the pain away, the paranoia. It just made everything a bit more real, and that much harder to brush off as some passing joke.

“Doesn’t matter,” they said softly, “I’ll be fine.”

“What if they come after you? Will you be fine then?”

Tasnim let out an airy laugh, resting their chin on their knee as they spoke. “They’d be stupid as fuck to come after me.”

“Hey! Language!”

Tasnim raised their head at Lin, confusion furrowing their brow. “Lin, I’m literally an adult.”

“Doesn’t matter,” she said sharply. “No one’s allowed to cuss in my office.”

“Not even Kya?”

Lin’s glare melted Tasnim’s resolve, the only sound in the room a loud clap as they slapped a hand over their mouth. The thought left Tasnim’s lips too fast for them to catch it, no matter how much they regretted it now. But they couldn’t help but notice the waterbender leave the office shortly before they arrived, nothing but smiles as she bid them good morning and slid a metal bracelet further down her wrist. It was actually pretty cute, and Tasnim was sure Lin would extend such leniency to someone she was so obviously enamored with.

Lin rolled her eyes, refusing to dignify the comment with a response as she continued to speak. “What do they even want with her work, anyway? Didn’t she just study cultural stuff?”

Tasnim looked at Lin again, their face growing somber.

“No need to look at me like that, kid. I’m no stranger to books, but being chief doesn’t exactly give me lots of free time.”

Tasnim shook their head, tugging at a stray thread in their trousers. They certainly weren’t upset Lin hadn’t read their mother’s work: not everyone had the patience or interest to read about marriage rites in Ahau, or Fire Nation schooling during the war. They were just feeling dejected at what Lin’s ignorance meant; they’d have to explain their mother’s work again. Explain the ideas that ruined her career, despite their validity.

“It’s not that, Lin, I just-” they trailed off, finding the stray thread interesting once again. Tasnim wondered if they could just stay like that, unraveling that thread, slowly falling away from the conversation at hand. But they knew better.

“The work that’s got these people riled up was… controversial,” Tasnim started, still picking at their trousers. “It got her kicked out of all these academic associations, she lost some friends. That kind of stuff.” Out of the corner of their eye, Tasnim could see Lin’s form shifting, her arms uncrossing as she clasped her hands together. 

“What was it about?” Lin said quietly.

“She…” Tasnim hesitated, before drawing enough courage to look at Lin again. “She was traveling around, looking at old scrolls. Some of them were _really_ old, like, Szeto era. Then after a few years of collecting data, she started publishing pieces on her… her theory. She theorized that there was another element. And that there were people out there that could bend it.”

“That seems pretty groundbreaking to me. Don’t know why they’d make such a fuss about it.”

Tasnim scoffed, digging their cheek into their knee again. At this angle, they couldn’t see Lin’s face, and they preferred it that way. Better to stare at her armor than the look of pity she was probably sporting.

“A bunch of legacy men,” they started, “with a list of accomplishments half as long as my mom’s on a good day. Even if they believed her, which they didn’t, they were already looking for a chance to get her out. When they saw what she had published, they didn’t hesitate to take advantage.”

“...I’m really sorry, Tasnim.”

They unwound and stretched out their body, arms reaching towards the ceiling as they let out a long yawn. “It’s alright. It happens.”

Lin scanned Tasnim’s face, unsure of what to say, before stepping forward to stand by their side. She put a hand on their shoulder, waiting for them to meet her eyes before she spoke.

“Give me two weeks. Two weeks of standard police detail. Then I’ll be out of your hair.”

Tasnim looked at Lin with a terribly serious expression. “What hair?”

They burst into laughter, bowling forward as Lin’s hand slid off their shoulder. The chief rolled her eyes at Tasnim’s silly quip, waiting until they sat up again before giving them a light smack against the back of their bare head. Tasnim gasped and feigned a look of shock, placing their hand over the affronted area and rubbing at the short stubble, growing fast from their last cut.

“Be serious for a second. Are you in or are you out?” 

Tasnim tamped down the giggles rising in their chest, nodding their final answer. “I’m in. Two weeks,” they replied, another peal of laughter threatening to slip.

“Good. You’re pretty alright, Tasnim. I’d hate to see you get kidnapped or something.”

“No way,” they said, certain as they stood and made their way towards the door. Wrapping their hand around the doorknob, they turned to Lin one last time, shooting her a smile.

“And even if I was,” they laughed, swinging the office door open, “I’d be sure to give ‘em hell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope all of the American POC readers are staying safe and taking time for themselves.
> 
> Hopefully you enjoy this chapter, and next chapter you'll get to see the dynamic between two characters that didn't interact much on the show. See you next week.


	5. Parabolic Motion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~_Song of the Chapter: Eternal Youth by RUDE_ ~~

****

**174 AG. Autumn.**

“Thanks again for meeting with me, Kya.”

Kya smiled, sipping the last of her tea before answering. “Of course, Asami. You’re practically family; I’m more than happy to help.”

Asami let out a relieved sigh. Setting her empty cup aside, she quickly shuffled the papers on her desk; notes she had scrawled during her conversation with Kya. 

At the start of the year, Asami had begun tech research and development on products specifically geared towards the needs of the Water Tribes, but Kuvira’s power grab created a huge setback. Tribal citizens fled home as the dictator's domain expanded, and Eska and Desna, fresh from the travel restrictions they imposed after their father’s death, shut their borders as easily as they had opened them. 

Asami didn’t care about the logistics, being far too busy saving the world with her friends, but when she returned from her vacation with Korra, the problems were dropped at her feet like overfilled sacks of rice. She was suddenly envious of the creatures she had met in the Spirit World, knowing they’d never have to experience corporate life. 

Nevertheless, she was more than grateful to Kya, who agreed to give her more information about the culture and current state of the Tribes. She admired the woman’s candor, and it was finally getting her product designs in order. And even more to admire, was that Kya viewed her as ‘practically family’.

Kya glanced at the wooden frame on Asami’s desk, brows raised. “Though we’d certainly be family if you two got married.”

Asami blushed, following Kya’s line of vision, eyes landing on what was inside the frame: a photo of her and Korra, fresh from the Spirit World with smiles so wide it looked as if they were ready to conquer the human one. Having to end their vacation early had its drawbacks, but they were both just so happy to spend time together. But thinking of her girlfriend wasn’t helping the heat spreading across her face, so she turned the photo further away from Kya before speaking.

“We’ve only been dating for a few months. It’s far too early for that.”

Kya laughed, crossing her legs as she leaned back in her chair. “As someone who’s seen a lot of women date a lot of women, I’ll tell you right now; it’s never too early.”

Asami dug her face into her hands as Kya continued to laugh, hoping the redness she knew to be dusting her cheeks would leave if she willed it away hard enough.

Kya’s laughter hadn’t yet come to a close when a middle aged man walked in, a small stack of papers in his arms as he approached Asami’s desk.

“Morning everyone,” he said warmly, dividing the papers in his arms in two. He set them in front of Asami, giving Kya a slight bow before explaining the contents of the papers. 

“Once I saw that you were already in the office I thought I should give these to you myself,” he began. “These are the schematics for the prototypes we’re currently working on. And that’s the morning paper. I know you don’t care for gossip, but I found it rather interesting.”

“Thank you so much, Zenko.” Asami sighed, before turning to Kya for introductions.

“Kya, this is Zenko. He’s the senior materials engineer for Sato Industries. And Zenko, this is Kya.”

Zenko smiled, reaching his hand out to Kya to shake. “Of course, of course! One of the best healers in the world! It’s a pleasure to meet you Kya.”

“Oh, you flatter me,” Kya beamed, meeting his hand halfway in greeting. “And it’s nice to meet you too! But, I gotta ask… have we met before? You just look really familiar.”

“Oh spirits no,” he laughed, “I would’ve remembered meeting someone as notable as you. Though from what I’ve been told, I’m a terribly distant relative to the royal family, so hopefully that’s where I get my good looks from!”

“You’re in a cheery mood,” Asami noted. Looking down at the stacks before her, she reached for the newspaper, the photo beneath the headline catching her eye.

“Absolutely! That new cafe just opened and- oh you’ve got the paper,” Zenko said, words splitting as the sight of Asami staring at the picture took precedence over his breakfast tales. “Pretty crazy news. Landslide northeast a few weeks ago; trade in Meng province is at a near standstill while they rebuild the roads.”

“Oh, that’s awful,” Kya frowned, looking at Asami warily as the woman’s brow began to wrinkle. Kya wasn’t that close with Asami, but she knew enough about the engineer to know when she noticed something. Something that no one else seemed to catch. Something wrong. 

“Thankfully no one was hurt, but I’m worried about how it’ll affect the local economy.”

“Of course,” Kya replied, taking a short moment to glance at Zenko before Asami’s voice brought her eyes back.

“This…” Asami’s voice dipped low, the rest of the phrase falling under her breath while Kya and Zenko leaned in to catch it.

“What did you say, Asami?” Zenko questioned, a look of worry creeping up on his face.

Asami looked up at the both of them. Kya’s heart lurched at the sight, knowing the look in her eyes quite well: utter confusion, with fear riding its coattails.

“This wasn’t a landslide.”

Zenko laughed weakly, coming around the desk to get a better look at the photo. “Well this wouldn’t be the first time the papers were wrong. But it certainly _looks_ like a landslide.”

Kya stepped closer to the desk, hands settling on the schematics set there earlier as she looked over the top of the page. “What’s going on, Asami? What are you thinking?”

Asami took a moment to look closer at the image before answering, reaching forward to grab a stray pen as she did. Uncapping the pen, she circled the length of the photo that showed the earth that tumbled down the mountain.

“Most landslides in Meng come from earthquakes, but the byline says there was only one landslide. If it were caused by an earthquake, I’m sure it wouldn’t have been a lone incident.” She made another mark on the photo, asterisks where the treeline began.

“And here: there are damaged trees in the distance. That couldn’t happen unless something was thrown that far. A landslide can’t provide parabolic motion like that.”

As Asami continued to mark the page, her worries began to grow. Finally, she caught the point of origin; a space at the top of the cliff, which she circled a few times before putting down the pen. 

“Here,” she said softly. “In a landslide, the earth would continue to run downward. But there’s an indentation here before the rocks tumble down, and the ground looks charred. Almost as if it were-”

“-an explosion,” Kya finished. 

Asami looked up, fear fully breaching her eyes at the sound of Kya’s confirmation. The healer reached forward, gently taking the newspaper to inspect it further, markings and all.

“Very astute observations, indeed,” Zenko cut in, “but I worry about the consequences of jumping to conclusions.”

“No jumping necessary.” Kya replied, attempting to soothe the worried tone in Zenko’s voice with a smile. “I’ll just take this to Tenzin; it’s always better to investigate nothing than ignore _something_.”

“Thank you, Kya. And I’ll-”

“Miss Sato,” Zenko said tersely. “May I speak to you for a moment? Alone?”

Kya turned to him sharply, but it was lost to the man who only had his eyes on the woman behind the desk. Asami glanced at Kya, giving her a slight nod.

“I’ll head out then,” she tensed, giving Zenko one last look before heading out the room. The man waited, not daring to speak until the office door closed with a click.

“Don’t get involved.” he hissed.

“Excuse me?” Asami said, eyebrows raised in disbelief. Zenko sighed at the gesture, raising his fingers beneath his glasses to worry at the bridge of his nose. He stood there for a moment, eyes screwed shut as he sorted what he wanted to say, before looking back at her, settling back into his serious nature.

“Asami, you and I both know the following: you’re observant, you're smart, and you’re probably right. But that doesn’t mean you should always allow your personal relationships to drag you into potentially dangerous situations.”

“You’ve gotta lot of nerve bringing my ‘personal relationships’ into this.” she seethed.

“You’re dating the Avatar,” he shot back. “I didn’t bring up anything that wasn’t already present.”

Asami shot up from her chair, hands hard against the papers stacked on her desk as she prepared for a fight. Jaw tight, she glared at Zenko, as if she were challenging him to strike first. “Zenko, why are you acting like this?”

“Because you’re my boss, my colleague! I was one of the first people to acknowledge you as company head, you know that. I’ve backed you up even when your goals were uncertain. Miss Sato, I am acting like this because right now this company, everything we’ve worked for, will go under if something happens to you.”

“Nothing’s going to happen to me.” 

“I’m sure you said that before you were kidnapped.”

Asami’s hands clenched fast, and she could feel the papers crinkling under her fingers, the lines and drawings warped beneath her touch. It’d been months since Tokuga, since her imprisonment. She’d been staving off the memories of being taken captive, but ever so often it’d creep up on her unexpectedly. It made her occasionally uncertain, defensive. And in no mood to discuss it now, in the middle of an argument. 

“Zenko-”

“You’re young,” he began softly. “And you’ve got your whole life ahead of you. I’m not asking you to gather dust behind this desk. I’m just asking you not to get yourself killed.”

Asami stared at him, unable to speak. Sighing deeply, she ran her fingers through her hair before sinking back into her seat. “Is that all?” she whispered.

“Yes.” he replied, matching her volume. “I’ll… I’ll head to the lab now.”

She didn’t answer, only listening to his retreating steps. At the sound of the door closing once more, she lowered her head to her desk, hoping the cool wood could be a source of calm to the storm raging on in her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've given up on weekly updates; I don't know why I thought I had the patience for that. But what I will say is that you won't have to wait any longer than two weeks for a new chapter. 
> 
> I'm unsure as to how long this will be, but I'm currently looking at 30+ chapters, unless I break the story into parts, in which case the first part will be around 18 chapters. If you read this please let me know if you would prefer one long piece or for me to break it into parts.
> 
> And finally; when I first plotted this story I created three primary original characters. You've already met two of them. You'll meet the final one in the next chapter. I hope you like her.


	6. Children of the Sun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _~~Song of the Chapter: The Middle of the World by Nicholas Britell~~ _

**174 AG. Summer.**

Her legs screamed in protest as she ran, and her lungs felt as if they were on fire.

Only a few days before, Amaru had left the city of Ahau for the first time in her nineteen years of life. She was overjoyed at the occasion despite it’s catalyst; she was the only one in her family, her entire clan, that couldn’t bend. And while her family assured her that she was fine, that she wasn’t broken or wrong, she couldn’t help but feel out of place. 

So when one of her brothers learned of a practitioner, a shaman, working diligently in Makapu Valley, she saw her chance and took it. Her mother didn’t need much convincing, and her father, while skeptical, wanted only the best for his youngest child. But when Amaru reminded him of her strength, her accolades, of the long line of Sun Warriors that came before them, he couldn’t say anything but yes.

So it was agreed; Amaru and one of her elder brothers would pack their things and set off for the valley, taking enough food and official documents to last them the journey. It was supposed to be tedious, but easy. Go to the valley to be examined by the shaman, and finally discover what Amaru had, deep down, felt was wrong all these years.

They didn’t account for the confusing boat rides, or getting lost upon entering the United Republic. But it was fine. The pair was finally passing through Meng, and the valley was growing closer by the hour. They were still making good time.

Until the pack found them, and descended upon them fast as they trekked through the unforgiving mountains.

Painted wolves were few and far between, but where they lacked in numbers, they made up for in ferocity. An old myth spoke of their home in the mountains, and that they were banished there by spirits, displeased with their hostile nature. Modern scientists disagreed, arguing that the packs were usually harmless, only posing a threat when they were antagonized or in severe lack of a food source. 

But as Amaru continued to sprint up the mountainous path, there was one thing for certain: they were hungry.

She continued to heave and gasp as she darted through the trees, scrambling as stray roots caused her to stumble. Her satchel bounced against her back and dug into her shoulders, but the time she’d need to take it off was time she simply didn’t have. Pushing through the pain, she only prayed that her brother was close behind. 

When they were first cornered by the pack, he made noises to distract them, waved a torch to scare them off. But Amaru was too far from reach, and not quiet enough to stay invisible. Her foot caught on a branch, and the resounding snap from its break led to almost a dozen pairs of eyes on her, glittering in the dying dusklight.

“Run, Amaru,” her brother said. But she was frozen in fear, helpless as the wolves began to stalk towards her. She was only broken from her terrified haze at the sound of her brother, screaming for her salvation.

“Run!”

So she did, and still was, trying to escape from what she could only imagine to be a gruesome demise. But as she reached the clearing, she looked out towards the open sky with horror, suddenly afraid that she wouldn’t have to imagine anymore. 

She ran right onto a cliff, with nowhere to go but down.

The howls and barks grew louder behind her, but she didn’t dare turn around to look. Panicking, she quickly scanned the clearing, eyes locking onto a large tree at the cliffs edge. She didn’t hesitate to make a run for it, beginning to scale it. Until she felt a pair of teeth sink into her leg.

Wailing at the pain shooting up her calf, she shook her leg hard, kicking down to where she knew the animal’s snout to be. Her assailant released her leg, falling down with a whimper, and she managed to climb a few more inches up the tree, blood streaming down her leg and seeping into her sandals.

Amaru didn’t make it far before she was yanked back, air ripped from her throat as a wolf managed to jump high enough to reach her. It clamped down hard on her satchel midair, wrenching her from the trunk of the tree and causing her to tumble towards the ground.

She told herself that she couldn’t, she _wouldn’t_ , die like this. Before she made contact with the earth, Amaru tucked and rolled sideways, a sharp pain spreading through her wrist as she used it to prop herself up from the fall. But as much as she’d hoped her quick thinking would save her, it did nothing but put her in more danger. 

She was on her back now, open space to her right, open sky to her left, and a pack of hungry wolves in front of her, quickly closing the distance to yank her in by her feet.

Amaru screamed, eyes brimming with tears as she tried to find purchase on the ground beneath her. She gripped at the dirt to no avail, and the wolves at her feet yanked at her so hard that she fell backwards, the satchel still strapped to her back digging into the ground and knocking the air out of her lungs. And if she wasn’t wailing so deeply, the sound of her cries starting a pounding in her head, she would have noticed the heat in her lungs, growing and shaping itself where the air had once been.

The skin on Amaru’s arms began to break and bleed; a pair of the wolves had made their way towards her face, and she raised her arms to cover it as they snapped and dug for bone.

“Please, no,” she sobbed, wanting only peace. Silence. Her brother, who she swore she could hear in the distance.

But a hungry animal wouldn’t be able to understand her, and even if they could, they wouldn’t care to listen. They continued to bite and chew, her legs thrashing side to side in the mouths of the eager wolves at her feet. 

And the heat in her lungs began to grow. It spread from her throat, to the tips of her fingers. Pressing hard, hot, and inward, as if she had been trapped in a furnace. Only a few seconds had passed, but Amaru was already worried she would burn up from the inside before the wolves managed to eat her. But then, she thought, that kind of death would be more tolerable.

The heat continued to press inward until it was unbearable. And she was so tired, so done. Her throat was raw from screaming and every limb burned and stung. The feeling was getting worse, threatening to crush her beneath its grip. 

“Stop!” she shrieked, hoping the sound would give her a moment of pause. It didn’t.

Amaru wanted nothing more than for the wolves to stop, the pain to stop, the heat to stop. It was pressing harder and harder and she just wanted to get it out, to push it out.

So she did. Pushing her hands forward, she screamed one last time.

“Stop!”

Amaru wouldn’t tell anyone what happened that day for months, and even if they asked, and she truly wanted to answer, she was at a loss. She couldn’t remember most of it.

All she could recall was the feeling of the heat finally taking its leave, gathering in her arms and ridding itself from her body in a pulsing wave. She heard yelping wolves in the distance, but the sound was muffled. It was overcome by other sounds, like pebbles dancing as the ground shook beneath her, or her tears that had finally fallen, sizzling in the dirt.

She didn’t know how long she laid there, but when she finally found the strength to sit up, she held the front of her shirt tight against her chest, the back of the piece completely singed off. Looking ahead, she realized the clearing was smaller than before: the tree she tried to seek shelter in was gone, and so was the ground it stood on. And the wolves were mysteriously absent as well, their howling nowhere to be heard.

Amaru tried to stand but quickly fell back to the ground. The attack had weakened her, and her wounds were too deep. She looked down as she fell back into the dirt, and the sight of what was beneath her shocked her into silence. Her brother found her like that a few minutes later. 

Looking out towards the setting sun, in the middle of a small crater, charred and hot, as rocks continued to tumble down the cliff face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last ~~primary~~ original character and I hope you like her as much as I do. I was really excited to incorporate the Sun Warriors into the story and even more so to elaborate on their progression further down the road. And these next few chapters are really going to change the course of the story in a major way, so I hope you're paying attention!
> 
> (And Makapu Valley... if I'm not mistaken that valley is right next to-)
> 
> As always I really appreciate any and all questions, comments, etc. either here or on my Tumblr of the same user.
> 
> Thank you!


	7. Playing Pretend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _~~Song(s) of the Chapter:~~ _   
>  _~~Agape by Nicholas Britell~~ _   
>  _~~Loving You by Thomas Headon~~ _

****

**174 AG. Autumn.**

“I know, Pabu, it’s so sad.”

“What’s so sad?” Opal chirped, back from the cafe counter with a small plate of mochi. She leaned over after setting the plate down on their patio table. Her face caught a patch of sun in the motion and Bolin, more than eager to share space with his girlfriend, leaned over to meet her. He held the newspaper up so she could see the article, nose grazing her cheek as he spoke.

“Some poachers got arrested for hunting fox deer in Meng province. Crazy stuff.”

Opal could feel his words on her skin, her cheeks warming because of it. “Yeah,” she said softly, “crazy.”

Bolin turned to look at her then, unaware of the effect he had on her until he caught her eyes. 

“I swear I’m listening,” she blushed. “I just got a little-”

She was cut off by his kiss, the sunlight that warmed their faces gone as Bolin held the paper higher to shield them from prying eyes. Opal felt his mouth spread into a grin against her lips, and before she knew it, she was smiling too. 

“Distracted?” he finished, dopey smile spreading even wider. She laughed at him then, scooting around the newspaper to grab one of the sweets off the plate. 

“We need to eat this before it melts,” she chuckled. Biting into the soft outer layer, she glanced aside to catch her boyfriend staring, before laughing lightly and folding the newspaper. He set it next to the plate before reaching for a piece of mochi, his fingers quickly dusted with white.

“It’s a good thing they were caught though,” he mused. “If they took out too many fox deer there’d be nothing for the painted wolves to eat, and those guys are crazy when they’re hungry.”

Opal smiled to herself, biting into her third piece of mochi as Bolin reached for his second. “Crazy when they’re hungry? Now why does that sound familiar?”

“Hey!” Bolin whined in protest, bits of ice cream and rice cake stuffed in his cheek. “A balanced diet is very important!”

She hummed, swallowing the ice cream in her mouth. “Course it is, Bo.”

They sat like that for a while, drawing warmth from the autumn sun while they ate and talked about their days. Bolin was more than happy to have Opal by his side, even if the circumstances were less than ideal. It had only been a few days since Kuvira’s trial, so he tried to give his girlfriend a tour of the city to get her mind off the somber event. But their time together was coming to a close, no matter how much Bolin wanted otherwise.

“You’ll be at the southern temple in a few months, right? I can come visit.” His words floated between them as he laced her fingers with hers, chest and cheeks warming as she clasped their hands tightly in response. But as much as her touch made his heart sing, he couldn’t help but notice her worry at her bottom lip. Opal only did that when she was nervous, or had bad news. So Bolin steeled himself for the worst, and tried not to look disappointed.

“About that, um… I actually wanted to talk to you about something.” She stared at the plate in front of them, not daring to meet his eyes. At the rising tension, Pabu scrambled into her lap, chittering until she began to pet him between his ears. Bolin began to slowly rock her hand in his, rubbing his thumb at her wrist as he encouraged her to speak.

“What’s wrong, Opal?”

She sighed, finally looking up and meeting his eyes. It took a moment for her to answer, and in that short space of time Bolin could see the worry swimming her eyes. Sighing again, Opal finally worked up the courage to speak.

“I might not be in the southern temple this winter. I offered to go to the Fire Nation instead, so I could stay closer to Republic City.”

Bolin beamed, taking in a deep breath as the relief washed over him. “That’s great- amazing, even! That’s- wait that is a good thing right?”

Opal smiled at his vigor, gripping his hand tighter as she elaborated. “I wanted to ask if you could come with me. For a few months.”

And there it was. Laid out before him so easily, as if it weren’t such a difficult choice, and an even more difficult discussion. Opal had been living in the same place her whole life, and it was such a stark contrast to Bolin’s upbringing. He was more than thankful to his elder brother, who kept him fed and clothed as best as an older sibling in the city ever could, but it didn’t negate the uncertainty that was their living situation. And after years of bouncing around, whether in childhood or chasing bad guys across the globe with his friends, he wanted to stay settled for a bit. He wanted to feel like he could relax, breathe, without having to pretend everything was okay.

He leaned deeper in his seat, playing with Opal’s fingers as he thought up an answer. “Opal I… I don’t know about that.”

She frowned, pulling his hand closer to herself until it was right beneath her chin. Pabu started chittering again, but Bolin didn’t have the heart to call him from Opal’s lap. At the moment, he felt like Opal could use Pabu’s company more. 

“It’ll be right there, Bo. Super close by. If you’re worried about being too far from your brother-”

“I’m not,” he said smoothly, slowly pulling at his hand until Opal released it. She was worrying at her lip again, turning to look at the throes of people on the street that seemed to have more life and vigor than the conversation at hand. She petted Pabu a little slower, looking down at him as if she were reminding herself that he was still there. “Do you… do you not want to spend time with me?”

Bolin frowned, gripping at his arm rest. His gaze was fixed on the passerbys as he answered. “That’s not it Opal, you know that. It’s just… so much has happened.”

“Of course it has,” she said pleadingly, “which is exactly why we should go together. Be together. To get away from all this for a little while.”

Bolin looked at her, eyes searching her profile as he silently willed her to understand. He wanted her to just understand, to know. As carefree as he was, Bolin was no stranger to shame, discomfort. He didn’t want to spell it all out for Opal. He didn’t want to explain that he finally had a place to sleep that wasn’t an alley or an attic or a moving train. That he was tired. Tired of moving from place to place and wondering if his brother would be able to feed him and bathing with a rag and pail of water. 

Opal turned to look at him, and Bolin resigned himself to the fact that it was inevitable. Because he grew up with all the freedom that came with poverty and no parents, while she had nothing but a gilded cage. And yet, he tried to draw it out. See if she’d catch on. Hope he could still hide that one piece he was afraid of showing.

“But why do we have to leave the city to get away? Why can’t you just spend a week or two with me here?”

She frowned at the first question, brows furrowing at the second. Pabu was quickly lifted from her lap and placed into his; apparently she needed the space to cross her arms.

“I don’t understand why you’re so against the idea. The Fire Nation is nice; I know you’d like it.”

“You don’t need to understand,” he sighed, “even if I really want you to. Opal, you want to go and travel and see the world and I get it, I do. You lived in the same house in the same city your whole life and now you wanna see what’s out there and that’s super cool but… I’m _exhausted_. I’ve seen the world and it’s nice but for just once in my life I wanna live in the same place without having to worry about spider rats or police sirens or the water running brown. So _please_ -”

Pabu chirped and scrambled from his lap, interrupting his train of thought. He followed the fire ferret with his eyes as the mass of red fur scrambled back towards his girlfriend. And when Pabu settled in her lap and chirped for her attention, he understood why.

Opal’s arms were still crossed, her fingers digging grooves into her arms. Jaw tight and eyes glassy, it was obvious she was fighting off tears, hoping not to draw any attention despite their relative solitude.

“Opal, baby-”

“No,” she cut off, “please finish. I’m fine, I’m listening, please finish what you were saying.”

He reached for her arms, hands coming up empty as she leaned away from his touch. “Opal, can you look at me please? I’m sorry-”

“No!”

She spun to face him, tears threatening to spill and shirt still straining from her touch. “You do _not_ apologize. You did nothing wrong.”

He sat there, stunned as Opal quickly scrubbed at her face to rid herself of any tears that might fall. Taking in a few shallow breaths, she continued on. “Bolin, that wasn’t okay. Of me. That wasn’t okay of me. I just wanted to be with you but I… it was stupid the way I did it. I should’ve asked differently.”

Bolin reached for Opal again, his hand searching until he found his mark. He tugged at her hand for a moment, unfurling and separating it from her arm so he was free to lace their fingers together. 

“It’s not stupid,” he said softly, “just a little hard, that’s all. And I’m sorry I brought down the mood. We were having fun and I kinda ruined it.”

Opal squeezed Bolin’s hand at the sound of his apology, making him regret saying the words so soon after she challenged him. But instead of squeezing his hand into a short hospital stay, she raised it to her lips, kissing his knuckles before countering his thoughts. “It doesn’t matter if you brought down the mood,” she whispered. “If something’s wrong, if I hurt you, I want you to tell me. Even if it brings the mood down. I want you to tell me and not feel like you have to pretend.”

Bolin’s mouth slowly curved into a smile as he stared at his girlfriend in absolute awe. He didn’t even realize he was crying until she jumped up, frantically reaching for napkins scattered across the table. She moved to stand in front of him, blocking his view of the street as she wiped his tears away.

“Oh, Bo, if you keep crying, then I’m gonna cry.” Opal said, the sound of oncoming tears hanging at the edge of her voice. Bolin’s first response was to keep smiling, tears streaming down his face as Opal struggled to keep up.

“Okay, I’ll stop crying,” he breathed, tear-stained cheeks bunching up into a smile. After a few minutes of fussing, he pulled Opal in towards him, hugging her waist and nuzzling into her side from his place in the chair. At first, she stilled at the contact. But then she leaned into his touch, and Bolin’s heart beat a little faster at the sensation of her hands at his back.

“Bolin, I-”

“Can we talk about it a little later?” Bolin murmured. “I just wanna stay like this for a moment.”

The autumn breeze made its afternoon debut, but despite the chill, Bolin was absolutely melting under Opal’s touch. Rubbing circles on his back, she leaned forward a bit, saying something reserved for his ears alone.

“I love you.”

He hummed, gripping her waist a little tighter.

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tune in next time when I deconstruct all the comic relief characters and why they use humor to cope! ~~I'm just kidding but also not kidding at all we haven't even gotten to Wu's chapter yet~~


	8. Kuai Ball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~_Song of the Chapter: Sukidakara by UMI_ ~~

**174 AG. Void.**

Keo’s parka was starting to grow heavy in his hands. He had been carrying it for what felt like an hour or so, but the weight of the furs were beginning to put a strain on his arms. It didn’t help that his new friends appeared to walk so fast, including the one that seemed to be so much younger than he was.

“Don’t worry, Keo, we’re almost there,” the young one squeaked. Keo had already forgotten his name; the introductions had come and gone so quickly. He decided he’d ask again later. The boy’s consonants caught on his missing front tooth as he bounced alongside Keo, continuing to explain their path. “There’s a really pretty space up ahead, and then we can play!”

Keo smiled, both at the boy by his side and the thought of being able to finally lay down his parka. Despite lugging it’s weight around and almost losing it to the spirit that carried him there, Keo knew he’d need it when he finally went home. Even though he wasn’t entirely sure _how_ he’d get home.

“Finally!” one of the girls said as they reached the clearing, spinning in circles at the sight of open space. One of the older girls watched on and laughed. She had dark, wavy hair, and looked as if she were from Keo’s tribe. She glanced over at Keo, and gestured to a patch of grass off to the side. “You can put your parka over there while we play,” she said warmly.

“Thank you, um.. Um-”

“Yuka,” she smiled. “It’s okay, I know it’s a lot of names at once to- _Tatsuhiro!_ Stop that, right now!” she shouted at the younger boy from before, who was now using a stray branch to pester some of the other girls. She muttered a quick apology before running after the boy, leaving Keo to fold and set his parka in the grass. After setting it aside, he looked down the treeline in wonder. He didn’t have trees back home, and even if he did, he was sure that they’d be nothing like these ones. 

“Okay, everyone! We’re gonna start playing now! Four versus four, and make sure you’re on the same side of the net as your team.”

Keo wrinkled his brow, confused at one of the elder boy’s instructions. He rose to his feet, asking his question as he turned around.

“Net? What net….” he trailed off, the sight before him answering his query. When they arrived at the clearing, it was completely empty, with nothing to offer but lush grass and clear skies above. But while Keo’s back was turned and tending to his clothes, a net had appeared in the glade, standing tall in whirls of cosmic blues and greens.

“What was that, Keo?” Yuka called, unable to hear him. He didn’t answer, instead walking until he was only a few feet from the net. He was caught in a trance at the sight of the thing, a seemingly normal part of the game, save for the fact that it wasn’t quite here nor there. The colors continued to swirl within it, giving off a faint glow even under the beating sun. He reached out a hand, moving closer to touch it.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a voice to his left warned. Keo snapped his head to see where it came from, eyes landing on a girl with green eyes sitting cross legged in the grass. She sat outside of the net zone with her hands on her knees, palms facing the sky as she watched the other kids find their places for the game. “I’m holding the net this time, and I’m not good at keeping it safe to touch. You might burn yourself.”

“That doesn’t make sense though,” Keo faltered, confused. “I can feel it from here. It doesn’t feel hot at all.”

The girl’s hands twitched and so did her brows, the annoyance in her voice evident as she answered. “Well even if you can’t feel it, it’s still hot. A while ago someone played with us while Tatsu was holding the net, and they burned themselves.”

Keo frowned, feeling challenged by this girl whose name escaped him. The net was right in front of him. It wasn’t burning him, it didn’t feel hot, and it even kind of looked like the Northern Lights, if the lights had been spun and trapped in a kuai ball net. It shouldn’t hurt, and even if it did, it’d certainly make for a good story. He raised his hand a little higher, stepping forward to close the distance between his hand and the net. Just before his hands brushed blue, he heard Yuka’s voice call out to him.

“Keo, no!” But it was too late. Keo had already reached the netting. The other children spun their heads to look, afraid and anticipating the injury of a crying boy from the Northern Tribe. But what they saw instead was something different, that instilled a much deeper fear. 

The net was winding around Keo’s hand, swirling between his fingers as if it were dancing.

The glade was completely silent, until a sole, soft, thumping sound caught Keo’s attention. It was the boy who called out the rules for the game; the ball had slipped from his hands as he stared, eyes wide and terrified. “Spirits, no,” he whispered. He took a step back as Yuka slowly stepped closer, gaze fixed on Keo’s hand as she spoke to the girl with green eyes. 

“Lihua, close the net. **Now.** ”


	9. Solar New Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~  
> _Song of the Chapter: Lovestained by Hope Tala_  
>  ~~
> 
> Important question at end chapter notes. Please read and/or engage!

****

**175 AG. Winter.**

“I’m surprised you didn’t go into the city last night,” Tenzin said at breakfast. “I heard the festivities were pretty exciting.”

Korra picked at what was left on her plate, still mulling over her plans for the next few days. “No, I was still pretty tired from the trip. Plus, I’ll only be here a few days before I head to the Northern Water Tribe.”

It was the first day of the new year, and the country was still buzzing in the aftermath of late night celebrations. Street cleaners were hard at work sweeping up streamers and remnants of sparklers, while bar owners kicked out stragglers and finally shut their doors. A banner hanging in front of city hall billowed in the breeze, welcoming in the new year in grand, bold letters. Even Air Temple Island was awash in excitement, waking up Korra from her slumber the night before with the booming sound of fireworks outside. 

Tenzin clasped the cup of tea in his hands tightly, using the heat to warm his fingers. He seemed confused by Korra’s plans to continue north, looking up from his tea as he spoke.

“Heading north? What’s waiting for you in the north? Besides your lovely cousins, of course.”

Korra rolled her eyes, beginning to stack her utensils on her plate after deciding that she wouldn’t finish what was left of the food. Her thoughts were miles away as she replied to Tenzin, thinking of more rations and rescue gear and a child that was still missing.

“A boy went missing in the Northern Tribe. Usually the guard would investigate but there’s just no trace of him at all. I wanted to go and check it out.”

“I heard about that; absolutely awful.” Tenzin said. “What is the council doing about it?”

Korra sighed, resting her chin in her hands. “As much as they can,” she murmured. “Both of his parents are council members so they’re pretty frantic… wait. You said you heard about it already? How?”

Tenzin took another sip before answering, his brows slightly raised. “Jinora has been in the Northern Water Tribe for a few days. She was originally supposed to return for the new year, but she asked to stay and help the council about this missing child. From what I understand, the whole tribe has been in a tizzy about it, so I couldn’t get much information from her.”

Korra nodded as he spoke, leaning over to pick up his empty plate. She stood as he thanked her, question on her lips as she started towards the kitchen. “Is Jinora there by herself? She seems like the type to be pretty serious about the buddy system.”

“No,” Tenzin started, and even though Korra’s back was to him, she could hear the frown in his voice. “She’s there with Kai.”

Korra tried to stifle a laugh and was unsuccessful, turning to find Tenzin’s disapproving gaze already on her. Her shoulders shook with her giggles until she could calm down enough to continue the conversation. “Oh, that’s rich. And I’m sure you’re absolutely ecstatic about that setup.” She nodded at him, urging him to follow as she left the dining room and made her way into the kitchen.

“It isn’t funny, Korra-”

“It’s kinda funny,” she grinned, running the water to start washing the dishes. Tenzin huffed, moving to the stove to heat water for some more tea. He grumbled as he moved, turning to Korra after the kettle was placed over the small flame.

“It isn’t,” he insisted. “I understand that Jinora isn’t a child anymore, but that doesn’t mean she’s an adult either.”

“Yeah,” Korra chirped, wrapping up with the soap and moving on to rinse. “She’s what, sixteen now?”

“Fifteen,” Tenzin corrected. Korra laughed at his swiftness, only to be met with another huff.

“Oh, quit laughing,” he frowned. “You don’t know what it’s like, being a parent. And I understand that she’s an airbending master, that she’s not a child, I just-”

“I get it, Tenzin,” Korra said smoothly, beginning to set out the dishes to dry. “Jinora’s been through a lot; we all have. But that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t get to enjoy her childhood. It’s that weird in-between, you know? She isn’t a kid, but she most definitely is.”

“Spirits, I’m glad you understand,” Tenzin sighed, finally setting his tea cup on the counter. He rubbed his hand at his tattoo, brow wrinkling under his fingers as he went on. “I was starting to think I was missing a few screws. Pema and Kya have really been on my case about this.”

“Well, they’re certainly not as high strung as you are,” Korra started before quickly noting Tenzin’s piercing gaze. “Just sayin’,” she shrugged quickly, reaching for the dish towel to dry her hands. After tucking it back into its place, she reached into the cupboard, pulling out Tenzin’s favorite tea and spooning a bit into his empty cup. He thanked her as she moved around him to pick up the now whistling kettle, handing it to him as she finished her piece.

“Look, Tenzin, there’s nothing wrong with feeling worried about them being alone together. But you have to just trust that you raised Jinora and taught Kai well enough to not get into any trouble, between themselves or otherwise. And if you feel that strongly about it, you could always, you know, _talk_ to her. Even if she gives you pushback, you could always just pair her with Opal for a bit or something.”

She watched Tenzin as he prepared his tea, eyes pensive as he poured the water and took in her words. “You’re right,” he said finally. “I need to trust Jinora.”

“Well it certainly took you long enough!” a voice boomed from behind them, causing them both to whip around at the noise. A bit of Tenzin’s tea spilled, staining the counter and scalding his fingers. He hissed at the contact before turning back to scold the voice.

“Pema, please! Don’t scare me like that!”

She beamed from her place in the doorway before gliding into the room, Rohan hot on her heels. “Korra!” Rohan squealed, running straight for her legs. She didn’t let him get that far, scooping him up in her arms as soon as he was within reach. 

“Good morning to you too, buddy,” she smiled softly as he latched his chubby arms around her neck. She jostled him a bit so he sat comfortably on her hip before turning to Pema, who was already poking fun at her husband.

“Tenzin, you’re such a worrywart,” she said lovingly, pulling his hand from his forehead. He began to rub at his tattoos again when she stepped in the room, and Pema made sure to stop him from what she was sure would ‘rub his eyebrows clean off’.

“Jinora will be fine,” she insisted. “And with all the fuss in the north right now, she’s gonna need our support more than anything.”

Korra rocked Rohan back and forth in her arms, half-listening to the conversation as she replied to the morning musings of the little boy. Upon hearing mention of the north, she spoke up in support.

“Yeah, Tenzin, and I’ll be in the north in a few weeks anyway, so I can help her out too.” Rohan gasped loudly in response, pressing his hands on Korra’s cheeks and squishing them together. “You’re leaving?!” he yelled, hands tight on her face.

“Inside voice, Rohan,” Pema corrected, catching his guilty eyes as she spoke.

“Where do you think he gets it from,” Tenzin mumbled, gasping lighty after Pema gave him a light slap on the arm.

Korra leaned back slowly, raising a hand to separate Rohan’s palms from her cheeks. “Yeah, buddy, I’m sorry. I have to go help your sister.” Rohan looked at her hard, frown deepening until he wiggled out of her arms and scurried to his mother’s side. He looked up at Pema, tugging at her skirts as he pleaded. “I don’t want her to go.”

Pema rubbed the top of his head before looking up at Korra. “He may be small, but he does have a point. A lot of people are working on that case in the north, my daughter included. You could just stay here if you’d like.”

Korra crossed her arms tight against her chest as she leaned against the counter, thoughts swimming at Pema’s words. “I know,” she began, “but I said that I'd help. And they’re my people. I wouldn’t want to disappoint them.”

“You wouldn’t be disappointing anyone,” Tenzin cut in. “You’ve been spread pretty thin these past few months, Korra. I know you’ve already spent some time with your parents, but a bit more rest could do you some good; no one would fault you for that. And if they do, well- well then I’ll give them a stern talking to.”

Korra let out a soft laugh, eyes drifting back to Rohan who was still worrying at his mother’s hem. “Well, I’m sure that’ll knock some sense into them,” she smiled. 

Pema laughed as well, stepping forward towards Tenzin’s raised arm and settling into the space he made for her. “Well, all we ask is that you think about it,” she smirked. “Even the Avatar needs a vacation. A _real_ vacation, not one that’s cut short by a petty turf war.”

Korra rolled her eyes as Pema’s words went straight to her heart. As much as she trusted the northern council, as much as she trusted Jinora and Kai, she still felt as though she should head north. But Pema and Tenzin were right. She was still weary, and could use a break. At that moment, she decided she would stay. If the situation up north worsened, she’d take the first boat out. But she wanted to relax a bit, see her girlfriend.

She just wanted to enjoy the new year, enjoy the city, while it was still relatively calm.

_____

It took a while to realize that the cold sensation on their wrist was metal. It was as rigid and unforgiving as any handcuff ought to be, with a chain that ended at a headboard of similar material. They tried to climb off the bed, the worn mattress creaking under their weight, but the chain wasn’t long enough to entertain the motion.

Stuck in a bed, that was stuck in a room, with no windows or identifying features to speak of. The rustling chain was the only sound in the air as Tasnim continued to move and turn, trying to see what might become of them within the four barren, metal walls. 

It didn’t last long; their knees buckled under their own weight, whatever concoction that was coursing through their veins still heavy on their limbs, making them weak. 

Tasnim knew they should be more afraid as they groggily tugged at the single chain. More afraid, or at least pretend to be. It would look far too suspicious otherwise; the nonbender, child of Aqil, that was terribly fearless in the face of danger. On one hand, they could come off as an absolute fool. On the other, someone who is hiding something. And in the position that Tasnim was currently in, they couldn’t afford to look like they were hiding something.

They continued to tug at the chain, wanting nothing more than to be free. But despite the desire, Tasnim knew that currently their only option, their only surefire path to freedom, came at a price far too high for them to pursue in good faith. So they continued to tug at the chain, hoping another path would present itself. Hoping they were important enough for someone to notice they were missing. That they were worth being found. Tasnim continued to pull at the chain, eyes drooping, hoping the metal was weakening at their touch.

Until the door lock clicked, the sound echoing throughout the room, while Tasnim’s blood ran cold as ice.


	10. Dichotomy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _~~Song: The Alethiometer by Lorne Balfe~~ _

**175 AG. Winter.**

The winter chill had settled deep into the streets of the city, making sure that not a single person was a stranger to its touch. Asami clutched her coat tighter to her body; the cold had made its way to her skin, that much was certain. But she held the fabric close for another reason. The ground was rather hard on her knees, the flowers tight in the hand not flush against her chest. She truly was cold, but gripping the coat so tightly gave her some small comfort in such a dismal situation.

“Hi, Dad,” she whispered, setting the flowers in a groove beside the headstone. 

Republic City Cemetery was in the southeastern edge of the Tiger Ward, and as such was largely untouched by Kuvira’s attack. In truth, one could walk between the gravestones and momentarily forget about the destruction the city had experienced not even a year before. Though it wasn’t something that Asami could so easily forget. Not when the grave in front of her was so fresh. 

She didn’t have a funeral. It felt far too final, and not personal enough. She was his only family, so she felt that she was the only one that needed to be there. Hiroshi Sato’s body was recovered in the wreckage; Asami refused to look at it to confirm. There was no one else that could’ve been in the mecha, and his spectacles, cracked and bloody, were more than enough proof. Her father was gone. 

Asami signed all the necessary paperwork, the ink staining sheets that finalized her father’s end. She had him cremated not long after his body was found, and buried in the cemetery not a week later. The undertaker was the only other person there that day, and he gave his condolences, but they rang empty in Asami’s ears. Condolences wouldn’t bring her father back. Nothing would. 

Pulling her watch from her pocket, she flipped the cover open to check the time. Not that it would matter anyhow; she took the whole day off for this. She had been in the cemetery for almost an hour though, and the temperature didn’t seem as if it would let up anytime soon. So she slipped her watch back into her pocket and stood, rubbing at her face the whole way. Asami had been crying a little earlier, and while she knew the full waterworks wouldn’t come until she was in the safety of her home, she’d rather not run into any strangers with tear stained cheeks. But her worries were all for naught, as she felt a presence step to her side and speak.

“Hey, ‘Sami.”

Asami didn’t need to look to know who it was, but she did anyway; she’d much rather look at her girlfriend’s face than a gravestone. 

“Hey, Korra.”

Korra slipped her hand in Asami’s, wasting no time in rubbing at her knuckles. As she stepped a bit closer, Asami could feel the warmth radiating off of her through the thin coat she donned for the weather. She didn’t say it aloud, but she was more than grateful for it. Asami was starting to grow tired of the cold. 

“How are you holding up?” Korra whispered, as if their conversation was something to be kept safe, far from any ears that might be attached to living bodies. Asami gave her hand a soft squeeze, and Korra searched her face in return. After a few moments of looking in her round blue eyes, she turned her head towards the gravestone once again. It’d be easier to lie to her that way.

“I’m alright. It comes in waves,” Asami said softly, biting the inside of her cheek at the half truth. It did come in waves, and sometimes she was so lost in her work, in her life, that she completely forgot that her father died right in front of her. But she was terribly far from alright. She wished that she could be alright, that she could look her girlfriend in the eyes and feel fine, but she didn’t feel fine at all. She knew that, and apparently Korra knew it as well.

“‘Sami, I know it’s really hard, and you might not want to talk about it right now. But I want you to know that you can. With me. I love you, and I got your back, okay?”

Asami felt the first tear fall, and she was going to swipe it away before Korra beat her to it. “I love you, okay?”

Asami could only nod, holding back the sob that was rising in her throat. It hurt. It hurt so much and sometimes it felt like she was drowning. But Korra was right there, like she always was, one hand empty and reaching towards her with a lifebelt clutched tight in the other. Asami closed her eyes as Korra continued to wipe her tears away, breathing deep as she felt Korra’s nose brush against hers.

“For a while…” Asami trailed off before taking another breath.

“What was that?” Korra replied, cupping Asami’s face and brushing her thumbs against her cheeks. Asami melted in her touch, feeling so safe from Korra’s movements before resting her hands on her girlfriend’s hips.

“For a while there, I wished I never talked to him. I wished I still hated him. Because if I hated him… if I hated him it wouldn’t hurt this much.” She let out a shaky breath before opening her eyes, instantly meeting Korra’s as she finished.

“Korra, does that make me a bad person?”

It took only one word from her lover to send her reeling.

“No.”

She burst into tears, sinking deeper into Korra’s arms with every sob. Korra held Asami tight to her chest, and through the salt from her tears, Asami’s senses dug deep into the smell of bayleaf and peonies that sat snugly in her girlfriend’s hair. As she cried, Korra continued to rock her, Asami’s tears staining her neck as she whispered reassuring words into her ear.

“You’re not a bad person. You’re not a bad person for not wanting to be in pain. You’re an amazing person, an amazing daughter. He was so proud of you.”

Asami cried for a few more minutes in Korra’s arms, ridding herself of the pain she’d been folding up and carrying for weeks. She slowly pulled back from Korra when she was done, reaching up to brush away tears that had begun to gather at her eyes.

“Thank you so much, Korra. For being there for me.”

Korra shot her a small smile, leaning forward to give her a small peck on the lips. “Of course, ‘Sami. I’ll always be there for you.”

Asami smiled in return, bringing their foreheads together as they began to breathe in sync. “Let’s go home?” she whispered. Korra brushed their noses together again, smile heavy in her voice. “Let’s.”

They walked back to the mobile, only pausing to investigate a bag that was left on the hood. Inside, was a small tin of oolong tea, with a note quickly scrawled in the undertaker’s messy handwriting:

_Love truly conquers all._

___ ___ ___ ___

If there was one thing Wu had learned by now, it was that a good fuck wasn’t worth the trauma.

He already had an inkling of this fact from a few years prior; it was becoming more and more apparent that he would be his great aunt’s successor, and in the face of her childlessness, the royal advisors of the Earth Kingdom didn’t want to take any risks. So he was encouraged to begin his search for a wife, a _queen_ , to provide the throne with heirs. Whether he wanted them or not. 

He wasn’t opposed to the idea of being surrounded by women, not in the slightest. He loved women; loved talking to them, hanging out with them. It was with women he learned some important life lessons, like how to avoid any relationship related stress.

“It’s so annoying,” Jiayi groaned as she leaned into his side. She was the daughter of an advisor, and was as reckless and mischievous as anyone would expect. Wu wasn’t exactly close to her, but she was certainly fun to be around, and at two years his senior, she was a well of information he couldn’t find anywhere else.

“How so? I thought you kinda liked that Dao fella,” Wu responded, sitting up straighter to better support her weight.

“I mean, he’s alright,” she began with a sigh. “But I only fooled around with him a few times and now he’s like, in love with me or something. Said he’d die without me. Super gross and weird.”

“I think it sounds romantic,” Wu countered.

“Yeah, well, I think it sounds traumatic,” she laughed. “I don’t want a man to die for me, and the fact that he said that just because the sex was good is really creepy. If a man really wanted to woo me, he’d tell me he’d live for me. Living is much harder than dying.”

Wu nodded, silently agreeing. Jiayi was right. Living was much harder than dying. And fooling around… well, he didn’t know the details, nor did he want to. He just knew they were there, floating in the background.

“Maybe we should just make a marriage pact,” she hummed, picking at a stray thread in her silk shirt.

“What?” he said sharply, jostling her head on his shoulder. She huffed at the motion, sitting up to look him in the eyes.

“A marriage pact,” she repeated. “You need a queen and the guys in Ba Sing Se are getting on my nerves. So, in a few years, if we’re both single, we get married. Easy.”

Wu felt his face warm, pulling his shirt tighter to his chest. He didn’t hate the idea of marriage. In fact, he thought it quite nice. For other people. For him though, he imagined it’d feel like a fox deer being caught during a hunt; strained, fearful, and at the beginning of the end of his life. 

“Well there’s certainly no need to rush things,” Wu said as he felt a single drop of sweat run down the curve of his neck. “And who’s to say I won’t find a wife in a few years?” He looked at her, eyes searching her face as he waited for an answer.

In return, she gave him a quick glance up and down. The corner of her mouth quirked up, like she wanted to say something and thought better of it. Like it was a secret she should keep to herself. “Wu, I mean this in the nicest way possible: if you don’t find a wife in the next decade, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

In that moment, Wu was hurt. A smart, accomplished girl telling him he wouldn’t find a woman to marry him, even if he was given ten whole years to do it, was terribly unkind to his ego. But now, he knew that she uttered those words _because_ she was smart, and because she began to catch on to clues he had no idea he was leaving behind. As if he was weaving the most fulfilling and complex joke, but she was the only one aware of the punchline.

And now, years later, as he lay sprawled and spent in an older man’s bed, he wished he heard the joke much sooner. 

The dusklight began to crawl through the windows and spill across the room, emphasizing the empty space beside him. He rolled onto his side to smooth his hand over the sheets, only to be greeted with cool fabric. His lover had left the bed a long time ago.

Faraway rustling caught his ears, and a few moments later Wu was climbing out of the bed, pulling on his clothes and making himself look half decent. He didn’t plan on leaving out the front door anyhow, but he’d be mortified if anyone on the street saw him looking awfully unkempt, whether they recognized him or not. Wu had never taken the fire escape before; it was only his second time in the apartment and his exit strategy the first time around was a lot more convenient. But the owner of the bed he was sitting on didn’t live alone, and Wu didn’t want to start any conversations that currently couldn’t be finished. 

He had tied his ascot perfectly and slipped on the first sock before he heard the bedroom door quietly open, then click closed. 

“Wu-”

“Don’t even worry about it Mako,” he laughed emptily. “I’ll head down the fire escape as soon as I get these shoes on. Wouldn’t want to surprise your brother.” He didn’t so much as glance at Mako as he slipped on the other sock, a soft huff reaching his ears as he picked up the first shoe.

“No, you can… you can leave out the front door, if you want to. Bolin’s on the other side of town right now.” His voice was strained and weak, trailing off as Wu looked up at him.

“Well it must be my lucky day,” Wu chirped. He shoved his foot into his shoe much harder than he needed to, feeling his toes strain against the leather. There was still a bit of space in the heel though, which he remedied by stamping his foot hard on the floor. The sound echoed through the room, and seemed to unravel the words Mako was fruitlessly holding on to.

“Wu, what is up with you? You’ve been acting really strange today; can you please just tell me what’s wrong so I can fix it?”

Wu flashed him another bright smile, but his clenched jaw and tired eyes betrayed his true feelings. “Good ‘ol Mako. You say that as if it’s something you can fix.” 

“What does that even mean?” Mako blanched. “Can you stop being all cryptic on me? Spirits Wu, it’s like you’ve been mad since we-”

“Since we what, Mako?” Wu cut him off. “Since when have I been angry? If I’m even angry at all?”

The room grew heavy with a silence only interrupted by Wu, softly slipping on the other loafer. He pulled it on just as tightly as the last, focusing hard on the seams and creases so he’d have a reason, any reason, to not look at the firebender before him. After his shoes were secure he slowly rose to his feet, looking Mako in the eyes despite his thrumming heart advising him otherwise.

“So you don’t want a relationship. That’s fine,” he said, his saccharine voice loosely hiding something sour. “Just let me be a little bitter about it. Then we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled program.”

“Who said I didn’t want a relationship?” Mako growled, taking a step closer. “You didn’t exactly bring up dates before pouncing on me.”

“ _Pouncing_ on you?” Wu hissed. “ _You’re_ the one that started this!”

Mako ran a hand through his hair, fingers reaching the base of his skull as he scrubbed at the nape of his neck. He was growing warmer, figuratively speaking. Maybe literally too, and Wu would’ve loved that. It’d be a perfect excuse to douse him with a bucket of water. Mako’s eyes shone brightly as he shot back, jabbing a finger in Wu’s direction as he spoke.

“And apparently, you’re the one who wants to finish it. If you didn’t want to do this anymore, you could’ve just told me. No need to start an argument.” 

Wu was absolutely fuming. He rid them of the empty space between them, standing close enough to Mako for his fingertips to brush the mans’ chest as Wu waved his hands around and spoke. 

“What even is this? How can I end this if it’s not even a thing, if it barely exists in the first place?” He looked up at Mako, knowing that on another day, he’d be pulling him down to meet his lips. Spirits, it’s what he did only a few hours ago. But right now, all he wanted to do was catapult him through the ceiling. 

“It barely exists because of _you_!” Mako hollered. “You’re the one that wanted to fool around, and now you’re dangling a relationship in my face like you even cared a few days ago? I get that you’ve never been with a guy before but give me a fucking break-”

“I’ve never been with _anyone_ before!” Wu screamed, shoving Mako so hard he almost fell to the ground. He caught himself at the last moment, stumbling before regaining his balance. 

Wu could feel his chest heaving and his throat swelling from the anger. He was looking at Mako but also looking through him, letting his sight fall out of focus to save him the trouble of staring at the person raising his blood pressure and lowering his self esteem all at the same time. But if he were looking at Mako, truly looking at him, he would see wide eyes and a man curling on himself, making himself smaller. He’d see Mako’s mouth gape open, see his hand rubbing at the Xu figures that still stained his arm. He didn’t see it, didn’t notice it. But he did notice the fear in Mako’s voice.

“You’ve… you’ve never…” he whispered, shoulders still shrinking inward. He swallowed hard as he tried to find the words, realization dawning in his eyes. 

“Wu, did I hurt you?”

“We didn’t get far enough for you to do that,” he laughed icily, looking away from Mako as he took a step back.

“Wu, please,” Mako begged. 

“You didn’t hurt me,” Wu asserted, voice still strained and livid. “Just pissed me off.”

Mako opened his mouth to speak again before a shrill ring cut through the apartment. He looked towards the direction of the living room, where the phone hung on the wall. The loud contraption wasn’t quite in his line of sight but he could still hear the ring of the mystery caller, and the rattling of the phone’s end in its holder. His head snapped back towards Wu, who looked a lot more defeated than he did moments prior.

“I need to take this, but stay here,” he said, just loud enough to be heard over the ringing. “We should talk about this. Talk about us. Okay?”

Wu didn’t acknowledge that he was listening, but it wasn’t something that Mako could wait for. He stalked into the other room, his voice carrying back into the bedroom were the ex-prince stood.

“Hello? Oh, good evening chief- What?! A kidnapping? Yes, I understand. I have a personal matter to wrap up and then I’ll be right over. Of course. See you soon.”

Mako hung up the phone, a deep sigh leaving his body. He loved his job, he loved helping people, but he couldn’t help but think how inconvenient it could sometimes be. Not that he expected crime to be convenient. He just wanted to scrounge up enough time to exist outside of his badge, especially now that he actually cared about having a life off the clock.

A low thump echoed from his room, causing him to turn and look towards his door. “Wu?” he called, with no response. Another thud and a series of rattles had him stalking towards the bedroom, and even though he knew what happened, it still disappointed him when he opened his bedroom door.

Hand still on the doorknob, he looked over the expanse of his bedroom, eyes finally resting on the open window, the ends of the curtains laying outside. The sounds of light steps weaved up the fire escape, before bleeding into the fray of honks and voices on the street below.

Mako wished he left through the front door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was supposed to just segue into the next part and give a bit of characterization but I ended up really liking it despite it taking so long for me to complete.
> 
> ALSO: 'Xu figures' are a direct nod to Lichtenberg figures as well as the character Xu Ping An, a character that lived during Kyoshi's era that was one of the earliest known lightning benders (and also a criminal but that is neither here nor there). I used his name just to make it cohesive. Didn't think it'd make sense to call it by it's original name here.
> 
> As always I post at least once every two weeks, my tumblr is also called softperfuma, and I love and appreciate all the kudos and comments. 
> 
> Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy this chapter!


	11. Bedridden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _~~Song of the Chapter: Yep! by Jean Deaux~~ _

****

**174 AG. Autumn.**

The worst of the pain descended on her once the adrenaline wore off. Coming down in waves, Amaru was quickly drowning in aching, stinging, stabbing sensations that wore down her limbs and mind alike. Her brother helped her out of the crater without protest, but by the time they reached the foot of the hill, she was in absolute agony. He ran for help as she leaned against the rough bark of a nearby tree, the last bits of sunset simmering into nothingness.

It was dark by the time her brother came back with help, and she was struggling to keep her eyes open, so much so that she thought her time to leave this plane had come and gone. Much to her surprise, her brother called out her name, apologizing over and over as he helped the village medics slide her onto the stretcher. She could taste nothing but salty tears as she wailed into the night, the sounds only coming to a close once she fell unconscious.

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 

“Her injuries were pretty severe, but luckily they were close enough to a village to get help. And she’s healing up really well; I doubt I’ll be here long.”

Amaru awoke to her mother’s voice mixing with that of a stranger, but couldn’t find the strength to sit up and look. It had been two weeks since she returned to Ahau, after spending several days in the mountain village and several more being rushed back to the city. Her time in the village was a blur, the days only marked by cool rags on her forehead and her dressings being changed every other night.

Her return to the city wasn’t quiet in any way; people coming to the house at all hours, telling her parents that their only daughter was in their thoughts and prayers. Sun-shaped talismans were mounted on the wall opposite Amaru’s bed, nearly filling the once barren space. And within every thread and tightly bound rattan plates were different iterations of the same message: May you recover quickly, and may the sun shine brightly on you.

A rather ironic message, considering Amaru’s current position. For days she had been plagued with headaches, so the light in the room had been kept low, the panes of the windows gathering dust from the negligence. But despite the relief that the lack of light gave her, Amaru currently wished there was a bit less darkness, only to lend a bit to the identity of the stranger whose voice continued to make its way to her ears. 

After a few minutes of hearing their conversation spill into her room, Amaru’s curiosity got the best of her. She took a quick count to five before pulling her elbow tight to her body, propping it beneath her as she began to slowly move herself into a sitting position. Unfortunately she didn’t get very far, her mother’s voice cutting through the air from down the hall.

_“Amaru, don’t you dare sit up!”_ she hissed, her feet thudding against the floor as she made her way towards Amaru’s room. Before Amaru even had a chance to reply, her mother swooped into the bedroom on a wave of concern and annoyance, fluffing her pillows before lightly shoving her back down into them. She grumbled in protest and, in the flurry of whining and bickering, noticed a tall woman enter the room behind her mother.

“I don’t speak Kinich,” the woman started with a smile, “but that didn’t sound too happy.” She leaned against the door frame, drawing long against the wood. 

All the door frames in Ahau were rather tall, and with good reason; tall people needed tall doors. Pair that with a culture that adored the sunlight, and frames that let in more light was a choice both sensible and common. What wasn’t common though, was how easily this woman filled the frame. Amaru hadn’t met many people outside Ahau, but from what she understood, the height in the city was fairly uncommon everywhere else. At 172 centimeters, she felt terribly short compared to the rest of her family, yet this strange woman seemed to match her quite well.

Amaru turned her head in the woman’s direction, cheek grazing recently fluffed pillows. She cleared her throat before she spoke. Her voice wrapped around the words carefully, as she tried her best to speak the common tongue.

“Kinich is just a dialect, not its own language. You really couldn’t understand?”

The woman laughed as Amaru inspected her from the bed. Her silver hair trailed down her back and a runaway strand began to fall in her face. She reached a hand up to tuck it behind her ear, letting the laughter come to a close as she looked at Amaru, eyes bright and shockingly blue.

“Can’t say I do, kid. Though it does sound rather pretty.”

Amaru settled deeper into the pillows at the soothing sound of her voice before she frowned at her mother, who bent low over her and insisted she take a sip of water.

_“Mom,”_ she whined, droplets spilling on her chest.

_“Don’t be so stubborn,”_ she retorted. _“You need to let us take care of you! This nice woman came all the way from… from…”_ Her mother turned to the woman once more, a warm lilt in her voice as her words left Kinich and entered a space where the woman could understand.

“Where did you say you were from again, sister?”

The woman smiled, stepping forward to hand Amaru’s mother a handkerchief. Amaru reached past her mother to grab it, dabbing her chin as the woman introduced herself. 

“I’m from the Southern Water Tribe,” she began. “And my name is Kya. It’s nice to meet you both.”

___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Kya made it quickly known that her stubbornness could easily match Amaru’s.

To start, Amaru didn’t mean to be so troublesome. She just hated that it was taking so long for her to heal, hated that it prevented her from getting on the road as soon as possible. Not that Kya cared for her internal plight, the master healer threatening her at every turn.

“If you keep playing around with your dressings I’ll shackle you to the bed,” she warned, letting the water swirling through her fingers harden as a visual aid. Every day, Kya spent about an hour running water over Amaru’s wounds. The progress was admirable, but it was still taking much longer than necessary because every day, after the waterbender left, Amaru would pull and peek underneath the dressings to see how much they’d healed. It was just routine, until Kya caught her pulling at the gauze one day and looked as if she were absolutely boiling. 

“I’m not even touching it,” Amaru protested, still grappling with these conversations outside of Kinich. 

“It doesn't matter,” Kya chided. “The more you mess with the bandages, the longer you stay in bed. Got it?” Kya’s firmness quieted Amaru rather swiftly, frown evident on her face as the healer began her daily routine. She pulled up a stool to the bedside as Amaru sat up.

“Slowly,” Kya said, catching Amaru’s movement out of the corner of her eye. It had been almost three weeks since Kya began Amaru’s treatment, and even though she just recently let the fireless Ahuan girl sit up on her own, she was still cautious. Amaru nodded her answer, slowly lifting the covers to sit at the edge of the bed. 

Kya sat on the stool facing Amaru, leaning down to pull an empty basin closer to her feet. The past few sessions left the thing empty, but with Amaru’s picking, Kya would rather the basin be by her side in case there was any stray scabbing or blood that needed a new home. 

She began her work in silence as always, focusing on safely unwrapping Amaru’s bandages before distracting her with conversation. Once the bandages were off and thrown away, she started to run water over Amaru’s arms, pleased to see the girl’s impatient antics had come to a screeching halt. 

“You know,” Kya began, the glow from the water lighting her face, “our last session is tomorrow. And I leave the day after that.”

“I know,” Amaru said softly, eyes fixed on the water. Before Kya’s arrival, Amaru hadn’t met any waterbenders, much less a healer. And despite her participation in these daily conversations, she was never not in absolute awe of the water that healed her body. “My mom said she was going to host a feast in one of the halls,” Amaru added, eyes still following the water.  


“Absolutely,” Kya laughed. “She invited me, insisted that I come. Even said there would be water tribe food there. They’ll probably have to roll me onto the ship home.”

Amaru smiled, finally looking up at Kya. The woman’s eyes crinkled as she continued to focus on the task, hands smoothly weaving through the air as she directed the water. At the sight of her, Amaru’s smile faltered, the reality of the situation setting in heavily.

“Could you stay another day? I can walk now, you know. I could show you the gardens on the outskirts.”

Kya’s brows furrowed, the smile on her face adding to her look of incredulity. “You know your mother would never allow that,” she scoffed. “Plus, you’re not the only person I have to heal, hon. As we speak, I have a patient in Republic City that has a terrible case of ‘missing her girlfriend’ syndrome.”

The giggles that Amaru let out danced around the room as Kya finished on the girl’s arms and began to move to her legs. Amaru thought it was terribly sweet, the way Kya spoke about her lover, and savored every time the woman brought her up. Where Kya was brazen and daring, her girlfriend was reserved and calculating, and the healer’s hesitance in mentioning the woman in conversation was a testament to the fact. 

The water swirled and spun around Amaru’s legs against the backdrop of a lull in conversation. Kya had promised to send a postcard, and teased the girl about missing her. After a few minutes of talking, the room grew quiet, the only sound the occasional sloshing of water. 

“I’ve actually been meaning to ask you something for a while,” Kya said, her voice stretching tall against the silence. 

“Yes?” answered Amaru.

Kya’s lips pressed thin, as if she weren’t sure the words she wanted to say were safe. Nevertheless, she pressed on, eyes still focused on the scarring on Amaru’s legs as she spoke. 

“Around the time you got attacked, there was an… incident. Close to the place you and your brother were found.”

Amaru struggled to keep her breathing steady. She should’ve known this was coming. She made her brother swear to never speak of it, tried to forget it herself. But here it was, clawing its way back to the surface like a starved man from a crypt. Despite the tightness in her chest, the fear clouding her mind, she breathed slow and steady, looking on as Kya continued to explain. 

“A landslide. At least, everyone thinks it was a landslide. But I have a pretty intelligent friend that thinks otherwise.” Kya looked into Amaru’s eyes then, the glow from the water making her look absolutely haunting. 

“My friend thinks it was an explosion.”

It was as serious a moment as it was an opportunity, Amaru taking it to swallow hard without worrying that Kya may find it suspicious. An explosion. Explosions are scary. Worrisome. As such, swallowing hard is an appropriate response. Expected, even. So much so that if someone saw it, they’d automatically think you were afraid of the explosion, not because you were the cause of it. 

“Amaru, I wanted to know if you saw anything. I asked your brother, and he said he didn’t, but you were up there for much longer, alone.”

Amaru felt her hands dig into the sheets as her thoughts spun. Something, something, anything. Any lie that was strong enough to stand on its own. She wanted to leave her bed so badly but spirits, she didn’t want to leave it only to be shipped straight to the nearest prison.

“Amaru, please,” Kya whispered, taking note of her hands. “This could be really dangerous. And I know it might hurt your chances of getting into Meng again, but-”

“A light,” Amaru cut off. She looked at Kya, who stared back, giving her room to elaborate. 

“I saw a bright light, after the wolves attacked. It scared them off. I thought it might be a lantern or something, but now I don’t know.”

Kya sighed, continuing to weave the water around Amaru’s legs. “Kid, why didn’t you say anything?”

“You said it yourself,” Amaru replied. “I have to get to Meng. I have to see the shaman.”

Kya sat back on the stool to look at Amaru, the water floating just above her fingertips. She looked worn out and somber, the light emphasizing the dark circles that recently formed beneath her eyes. It made Amaru feel so guilty; even though the crown was compensating Kya for her work, it didn’t change the fact that she was an amazing healer, going above and beyond her obligations in order to make sure Amaru could get back on her feet as soon as possible. 

How would she feel if she knew the person she had gone to such lengths to help was a liar? Was, in her words, dangerous?

“You know Amaru,” Kya began warily, “it’s okay to be a nonbender. There’s quite a few in Ahau; your mother told me.”

“I know it’s alright,” Amaru frowned, flinching at the cool water that Kya brought to her legs again. Kya paused at her sudden movement and Amaru nodded an okay, frowning again as she finished her reply. “I know it’s okay to be a nonbender, and I’d be okay with it if I was, but something’s wrong, something’s… off. I know something’s wrong and I want to see the shaman and it’s frustrating because no one seems to believe how I feel about my own body.”

Kya finished with Amaru’s legs, guiding the water back into her satchel before reaching for a small towel. Amaru’s arms and legs were mostly dry, but Kya was thorough, patting her limbs before looking them over one more time.

“If it’s any consolation, I believe you. I just want you to be safe.”

Amaru nodded, eyes fixed on her knees. Her hand was still clenching the sheets, her knuckles beginning to pale. She finally released the bedding, reaching aside to grab the fresh dressings and hand them to Kya.

“Nope,” she grinned, gesturing to Amaru’s limbs. “They’re all closed and good to go. I couldn’t get rid of all the scarring, but enough of it’s gone that it isn’t too noticeable. A few more days of rest and you should be ready to run the streets again.” Amaru smiled in return, absolutely beaming as Kya took Amaru’s hand in hers. 

She was almost there. Soon, she’d be on her feet. She’d be on her way to Meng. And she’d finally get the answers she’d been searching for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I keep hinting at Kyalin but they will get their own chapter soon, I promise. I hope everyone is having a good week and happy Lunar New Year to anyone who celebrates! I kindof wish I was closer to the Lunar New Year chapter but it is way too far away and in a completely different 'part'.
> 
> Hope you like this chapter! Let me know what you think!


	12. Lovestained Sunset

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _~~Song of the Chapter: Salamander Eyes by James Newton Howard~~ _

****

**175 AG. Winter.**

Lin oftentimes woke without much grumpiness, preferring to gather it through her daily interactions, but this morning, she couldn’t help it. Not when she woke to light laying hard against her face and the empty space beside her cool and barren. 

She rolled over with a groan, eyes squinting against the sunlight as she began to sit up, only to be stopped by the creak of a door and feet shuffling fast against the wood. The sounds were punctuated by a quick dip in the bed, an arm drawing Lin back into the soft sheets with a giggle.

“Oh no you don’t,” Kya whispered, pulling Lin close enough to rub their noses together. “It’s the last day of your vacation. You’re not allowed to get out of bed this early.”

Lin smiled slowly, the skin around her scar crinkling as her eyes fluttered open to look at her lover. “It’s already nine,” she said lazily, “and you were already up doing goodness knows what.”

Kya laughed again, the sound coming to a close as she pecked Lin on the lips. “That doesn’t count. I woke up first, so I went to water your plants before I forgot. And if I forget, they’ll probably die, so…”

Lin scoffed as she looked at Kya. “They wouldn’t die. I could keep a simple plant alive.”

Kya grinned back, leaning close to whisper before she stole another kiss. “If that were the case, you would’ve noticed I switched two of them out because you forgot to water them.”

Lin faked a soft gasp before burrowing deeper into the mattress. Kya wrinkled her nose and smiled, stealing more kisses the whole way. They stayed there, close and warm, for a few more hours, the sun beginning its slow climb through the sky. The healer began to doze off as Lin traced the curves of Kya’s spine with her finger, hand curling beneath the silk pajamas she insisted on buying for her lover.

“-s cold,” Kya murmured whilst furrowing her brow. Lin smiled warmly, pulling her hand from Kya’s skin to smooth her shirt against her back. 

How fickle and peculiar fate was. Lin wasn’t one to fall in love, and for a while she truly thought she’d never be in a relationship again. And where many would be stricken with fear at the thought, she had made peace with it. Finding love was then one less thing she had to worry about, one less expectation to fulfill. She could direct that energy towards her job, towards making her city safer. For a short time, she thought standing alone was preferable, and that it was the rest of the world that was missing out. 

But then she reconnected with her sister, and forgave her mother. Suddenly standing with others didn’t seem too bad. It even made her feel stronger, like she could face anything if she had these people in her corner. Suddenly love didn’t feel so out of reach, even if it was just filial.

And then Kya happened.

It wasn’t sudden or new; Kya had always been beautiful, whether Lin had feelings for her or not. The woman was no stranger to praise or admiration either; every time Lin saw her someone was teasing her about her long line of suitors. Even when Lin found out that Kya only liked women, she didn’t doubt that the waterbender would never want for a partner. She was just too beautiful, too smart, too interesting. Lin was certain Kya could drop a handkerchief and at least a half dozen women would appear to pick it up, or even offer to buy her a new one. 

She wasn’t sure when her admiration for Kya bloomed into something else; she had so staunchly relegated the woman to the simple role of her ex’s sister that in the early stages she never allowed herself the space to explore her feelings. But years after Tenzin, after she entered her thirties and long since laid her old feelings to rest, the new ones sprouting in her chest became increasingly difficult to ignore. She was suddenly becoming sick right before council meetings she knew Kya would attend, becoming swamped with work when galas would begin and request the attendance of the city’s most powerful children. It was tedious but terribly easy, and before she knew it years had passed, and hopefully her silly crush as well. 

But fate barreled into Lin’s life, with Kya riding on its coattails. Kya knew Lin was avoiding her, and promptly let it be. She knew the eldest Beifong was terribly good at holding grudges, and was probably uncomfortable being in the same room as her ex’s older sister. So she never pressed, never asked after her. No matter how many times she spun in boring circles as the galas droned on, hoping she’d catch a pair of glittering green eyes in the crowd.

On each end it was like the forest floor just before the first snow. One snowflake would float down from the heavens, quiet and unassuming. To any passerby it’d go completely unnoticed, the snowflake far too small and the forest far too vast for anyone to catch the tiny crosses in crystalline. But as the hours tick onward, the snow begins to come down in droves, and anyone walking can notice nothing but the blanket of white reaching far and wide. Suddenly it’s all around, awfully loud, sparkling, and beautiful. Suddenly you’re surrounded by snow. Suddenly you’re surrounded by love.

Kya wouldn’t have it any other way. A few months into their relationship she found out why Lin had avoided her all those years ago, and while she showered the woman in taunts and kisses, she thought how lucky she was that they still found their way to each other. When she told this to Lin, she didn’t hesitate to roll her eyes, but her lashes were still wet with unshed tears as she pulled Kya close for a kiss.

Lin stretched her arms above her head, knuckles grazing the worn out headboard as she glanced at the clock on her nightstand. She curled into Kya again, rubbing her arm until she began to wake. She mumbled and whined, digging her nose into Lin’s shoulder in quiet protest.

“It’s almost eleven,” Lin hummed. “Time for us to get up.”

Kya groaned, arms tightening around Lin’s middle as she kept her eyes screwed shut. “Don’t wanna.”

“If you get up with me, I’ll make you pancakes. And coffee.”

Before the last syllable could leave Lin’s mouth, Kya released Lin from her grip and shot up straight in the bed, eyes still tight against the sunlight streaming in from the window. “I’m up. I’m completely awake,” she muttered, her messy braid saying otherwise.

Lin laughed, pecking Kya on the cheek before slipping from the bed and heading towards the kitchen. She pulled things from the cupboard with a practiced hand, reaching for mugs and a pan as she bended a metal whisk to stir the batter behind her. The whisk continued to spin and stir as she turned on the stove with a soft click, the small flame swaying beneath the metal as she prepared the pan for the batter. The first batch of pancakes were sizzling on the stove when Kya came into the kitchen, eyes still heavy with sleep as she reached for a small moka on an upper shelf.

“I said I would make you coffee,” Lin said softly. Kya smiled as she passed Lin, giving her a peck on the shoulder before reaching around her to open another cupboard. The smell of fresh coffee grounds spilled out as soon as she opened the small door, growing in strength as she pulled the small tin off the shelf.

“I know,” Kya whispered back. “I just wanted to help. Plus, you’re still getting the hang of my sweet tooth.” 

Lin scoffed as she watched Kya work, her tanned brown hands scooping grounds into the base of the pot before bending water into the small reservoir beneath it. After turning on the burner next to Lin’s pancakes, she sighed and leaned into her girlfriend.

“It came from a coffee plant and Varrick wanted to call it what? Wake up juice?”

“He’s pretty good at inventing things,” Lin laughed, “but his naming skills are pretty shoddy.”

Kya smiled, both from Lin’s words and the laughter she could feel from her body, their sleep-sodden frames still joined at the shoulder. Just like a path post-snowfall, she felt completely enveloped in the stuff. But instead of the winter chill looming just outside their walls, she felt completely covered with warmth. Contentment.

Love.

___ ___ ___ ___ ___

They spent the day doing nothing, and it was absolutely perfect.

When Lin’s vacation first began, she couldn’t be bothered to stay still. Such a taxing and consistent regimen could be rewarding, but without it she felt a little empty, yearning for something else to fill the space. So she took Kya for walks, bike rides, even convinced the waterbender for a boat ride through the bay. And that was just day one.

Kya felt enough was enough by first sundown, and from then on she made it her mission to get Lin to relax. She’d make them walk slower, drink things that were smoother. Lin would try to go for a run and Kya would disallow any exercise outside of the apartment, outside of the bedroom, with the door closed and curtains drawn. And she was successful. Hour by hour, day by day, Lin had begun to unwind, and even though she’d no doubt be pulled taut once she returned to work, the fact that she was capable of relaxing at all was more than promising to Kya. So she’d hold Lin close, and enjoy these last few hours by her girlfriend’s side.

“Lin,” she chided, eyes settling on the forms on her nightstand. “Are those case files?”

She confirmed Kya’s suspicions with a deep sigh, her breath ringing wide and loud from where Kya lay on her bare chest. “I’m not working on them, I promise.”

Kya frowned and sat up, shivering slightly as the cool air met her uncovered skin. She ignored Lin’s protests as she reached over the woman, grabbing the manila folders at the top of the stack.

“Lin I told you that you need to relax on your vacation,” she said frostily, lightly slapping Lin’s legs with the folders to drive the point home. Lin laughed at her antics, lazily trying to justify her behavior as she pulled the sheets closer to her chest.

“I told you, I’m not working on them! I was just going to skim them before I go back tomorrow,” she laughed, trying to shield herself from another hit.

“No skimming!” Kya scolded, hitting Lin higher on her legs. “You’re supposed to be relaxing, and not working at all!”

“But-”

“No buts!” Kya said louder, hitting an unprotected part of Lin’s thigh. Lin yelped as the folders met her leg, and the motion caused some of the papers to spill from their home in tarnished yellow. Kya leaned forward to rub the area, apologizing all the way.

“Sorry, baby, I didn’t mean to hit you that hard. I just really wanted you to get your mind off of work for a bit.”

“It didn’t hurt, I’m good,” Lin assured her, beginning to gather some of the papers that were scattered across the sheets. “Let me just get these up and back in the right… the right…”

Kya stared at her girlfriend, wondering what caused her words to fizzle out mid-breath. She raised a hand to Lin’s shoulder, massaging the skin she could reach while looking back and forth between her lover and the photo in her hand. “Lin, what’s wrong?”

Lin didn’t answer, instead frantically searching the folders for something to deny the fear hanging from every corner of her face. She finally found it at the bottom of the pile, in a folder she laid flat across her legs so all the typeface and messily scrawled notes could glare back at her in some silent state of defiance. “No,” she whispered.

“Babe, what’s wrong?” Kya said more firmly, gripping Lin’s shoulder and leaning closer to her face. Lin looked at her then, face stricken with terror, before slipping out of both the bed and Kya’s grip, picking up her robe from the floor and walking towards the doorway.

“I need to make a call,” she said hoarsely, disappearing into the living room stained with sunset.

Kya took only a moment of pause before jumping into action, catching the lines in the ominous folder before slipping into her pajamas and following Lin into the other room.

A missing persons report, the telltale ‘missing’ stamp red and raw in the top corner of the page, the name right beside where the photo once was: _Tasnim._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone else excited about the Avatar Studios announcement?


	13. False Hopes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~_Song of the Chapter: The Night Cafe by Clint Mansell_ ~~

**174 AG. Winter.**

Kai didn’t hate many things. If anything, one of the main things he hated was hatred itself. But there were certainly things that he didn’t like, the cold being at the top of the list. He didn’t care for it at all; it creeped beneath his skin and settled into his bones like a virus, only allowing him relief after he bundled up under hills of clothes and valleys of blankets while defrosting by the nearest fire. He couldn’t stand the cold.

And being in one of the coldest places in the world in the dead of winter, he might as well sit. 

He and Jinora had been in the Northern Water Tribe for just over a week, and as much as Kai despised the harsh weather, he couldn’t pass up the chance to be partnered with Jinora. Her penmanship was as perfect as the rest of her, but reading about the stories of her travels wasn’t the same as sitting right beside her, their fingers interlaced as she told them herself. 

That’s how their first few days went, sitting by the crackling hearth between their meetings with the northern council. Tenzin had proposed a temporary trade route between the tribe and the northern temple, the latter serving as a provisional base while the nomads received and reviewed assignments for the new year. As both a master and Tenzin’s eldest, it was a given that Jinora would head north to finalize the agreement, and Kai volunteered to go with her before anyone was able to even raise a syllable in contest. So the two of them rode towards the tribe, air growing more frigid with each passing hour, until they were walking grand streets of carefully carved ice while Kai daydreamed of warmer mornings.

The daydreams quickly came to a halt though, when Keo disappeared. Jinora and Kai, being housed in the northern palace, were one of the first to know. The heavy footfalls roused Jinora from her sleep, and before long she was crossing the room, gently shaking Kai awake whilst keeping her eyes on the door.

“Wha-Jinora? What’s wrong?” he slurred, falling back onto the firm mattress despite her efforts to pull him upward.

“Not sure,” she whispered back, “but it doesn’t sound good.”

She was more than right. 

They worked up the courage to leave their room, traveling the halls with defensive stances held by those who’d seen one too many battles. They expected the need to defend themselves, not comfort others. So it was a surprise to them both when they came upon the office of the chieftains to find half the council inside, still clad in their pajamas while a woman sobbed in a corner nearest the door.

“What’s going on?” Jinora said weakly, drawing the eyes of over a dozen waterbenders, council and guards alike. Amongst them was Desna, bent over the long, dark desk he shared with his sister, fingers tightly pressing a worn map against the wood. 

“It’s none of your concern,” he replied, voice flat and frosty as always. At his words, the woman in the corner let out a loud sob, her cries adding a terse layer to the room. Kai gravitated towards her as Jinora stepped forward, crouching down to pick up the handkerchief she dropped between tears. “Here you go,” he whispered, handing her the cloth while she turned to look at him, finally acknowledging his presence since he entered the room. The gentlemen on her other side held her a little closer then, nodding Kai a silent thanks.

“Chief Desna, Chief Eska, I mean no disrespect,” Jinora began, tacking on their official titles in an attempt to garner favor. “But our purpose is that it is, in fact, our concern. We’re here to help, whether that be with the trade route or whatever is going on right now. If we can help in any way, we want to.”

Jinora didn’t miss Eska’s tightening jaw, or the narrowing of Desna’s eyes. She prepared herself for the worst as Eska opened her mouth to speak, but someone else beat her to it. 

“There isn’t much you can do, unless you can magically find my son.”

The woman’s sobs settled into sniffles as she spoke, using the handkerchief to scrub at her tear-stained face. Her frame was gaunt yet firm, as if with each passing day she grew weaker by carrying some unseen burden. Drying a final tear, she raised her head, eyes glazing over Kai before finally locking on Jinora.

“This isn’t a battle, or a peace mission,” she continued, voice watery as she walked through her words. “I woke up in the middle of the night to my son, my child, missing, and the front door wide open. So unless your airbending can miraculously find my baby, there isn’t much you can do.”

“We’ve already dispatched a search party,” Desna added, “with another deploying within the hour. We appreciate your offer, Jinora, but given the circumstances, it's less than ideal.”

Kai tried to hide his frown, looking on as Jinora’s shoulders began to sink. In the grand office room, she suddenly looked so much smaller, like her confidence ran and hid in some distant nook in the dark. He couldn’t bear to see her like that, not without trying to make it better.

“You’re right,” he said, rising to his feet. “Going out to join the search may not be the best idea. But we can still help. _Jinora_ can still help. She’s not just an airbending master, but a spiritual one as well. She found Avatar Korra when no one else could.” He turned to the wiry woman by his side, voice still clear, but softened to meet her ears kindly. “I think she may be able to find your son, too.”

The council members whispered amongst themselves, eyes flicking to Jinora between murmurs of her prowess. Finally, the man that thanked Kai began to stand, immediately calling for Jinora’s attention.

“Is this true, Master Jinora? Do you see yourself capable of finding our son?” He tried his best to look strong, refined, but Kai could see the hesitation on his face, the fear flicker across his eyes as he waited for an answer.

“I do.” Jinora said firmly. “I’ll need to know what he looks like, or hold something he owns, but I’m confident I can help find him.”

“It’s settled, then.” Eska concluded. Desna’s eyes quickly darted to his sister, finding strangeness in her tone where everyone else could not. The other council members nodded and agreed, the volume in the room rising as they began to discuss the details of the soon departing search party. Desna turned to her as he spoke, his voice sharp but well hidden by the rising sounds of the caucus. “Sister-” he started.

“It’s in agreement then,” she cut him off loudly, the rest of the council quieting at her words without hesitation. “The next search party will be out in 45 minutes at the latest. I’ll personally walk Master Jinora and Kai to their quarters and prepare them for their search. Akna and Tulimaq, please prepare the items Master Jinora requested and meet us back here in an hour. If there are any sudden news or changes in the next hour, report directly to Chief Desna.” 

She walked from her desk, not once acknowledging her brother as she glided through the room and motioned for Kai and Jinora to follow. The present councilmembers all bowed to the twins, Jinora and Kai too jarred by the sudden directives to follow in the motion. They jogged to keep up with Eska, already leaving the room, while Desna’s eyes followed his sister, his gaze full of worry and suspicion. 

The guards that followed the trio were close enough to protect their chief, but far enough to provide them with some privacy. Kai liked the absence of feeling stifled until Eska spoke. 

“A word of warning, Jinora; don’t give them false hope.”

Jinora’s hands clenched tight at Eska’s words, fingernails snug against her palms as she replied. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She felt a bit slighted, but that was nothing in comparison to Kai, who swiftly jumped in to defend his girlfriend. “Do you think she can’t do it? Jinora’s a highly skilled master, she can totally-”

“Tell your dog to heel, Master Jinora.”

Jinora stopped in her tracks, and if not for the guards impeccable observation skills they would have easily barreled her over. Kai stopped shortly after she did, looking towards Eska as the soft scuffing of her boots fell to silence.

“Don’t talk about him like that,” Jinora said, shoulders back and words hardy.

Eska slowly turned towards the younger girl, eyes flashing towards the guards behind the couple before finding Jinora’s gaze. They were visibly startled by the sudden halt, the one closest to Kai flexing his hands as if he were ready to jump into action.

“It’s fine,” Eska said promptly, eyes still on Jinora. She saw his limbs relax, feeling grateful as she stepped closer to the airbending master. 

“Today was Akna’s first time involved in any council business in weeks. She recently recovered from influenza and we weren’t sure she would survive.”

Kai thought back to the women in the office, so frail she looked as though she’d wash away with her tears. Even in her weakened state, it was hard to grasp that she’d been knocking on death’s door. Her voice had a weight so regal, Kai couldn’t imagine her allowing death to take her in anything but old age. He took a step closer to the girls, leaning forward in hopes to catch Eska’s line of sight, quickly standing taller when he realized he wouldn’t get it. “If that’s the case, then why be so worried about us giving her false hope? She misses her son and we have all hands on deck; I know we’re going to find him.”

Eska finally looked at him, and Kai felt as if the temperature in the room had dropped a few degrees. Knowing her, it probably did; she never seemed to be a stranger to intimidation. 

“Thirty minutes,” she said curtly. She turned her body to face him, eyes boring into his as she went on.

“At below freezing temperatures, it’ll take as little as five minutes for the hypothermia to set in. Maybe twenty until you fall into a coma. After about thirty minutes, vitals are completely absent. At that point, we warm the bodies we find to make sure it’s not a false death.”

Jinora paled as Eska spoke, thoughts racing at her explanation. “How do you know he’s out in the snow?” she said softly. When Eska turned back to her, Jinora could see the exhaustion settling around her eyes. With a lack of sleep and a lack of eyeliner, she could see just how heavily this all weighed on the chieftain. 

“His tracks lead away from the city,” she replied. “That’s what the first party was for. The second is staying close; we’re waking people up to see if he doubled back and was taken in somewhere. It was windy last night and it might have picked up some of his tracks.”

“Do you-” Kai started, the words struggling to leave his mouth. “Do you think he’s dead?”

Eska’s eyes flicked to the guards behind them. They seemed to be standing tall, facing away and focused on protecting their chief. But she knew better.

“I don’t believe I’m in the position to make any speculations,” she pressed. “But what I do believe,” she said, stepping closer to Jinora, “is that you shouldn’t make any promises you can’t keep. I don’t care how prolific your abilities are, I will not have you making empty pledges to a woman missing her son, who’s lost in the tundra with nothing but his nightclothes and summer parka. She’s been through enough already.”

Kai swallowed hard, his heart going out to Jinora. If he felt this uncomfortable under the press of Eska’s words, he couldn’t imagine how Jinora felt being on the receiving end of them. 

“Understood, Chief Eska.”

“Thank you.” she said, weaving between the two of them to pass her guards.

“Master Jinora and her companion are capable of finding their way back to their room,” she said coolly. Her robes swayed as she walked back from whence they came, her guards scrambling to keep pace behind her. That was all she said before the group disappeared around a corner, leaving Kai and Jinora in a dim, lonely hall of whites and blues.


End file.
